'Bare' means uncovered or minimal; 'bear' is the large animal or means to carry and endure.
Adjective: uncovered, empty, or minimal. Verb: to reveal or uncover (formal).
He walked across the hot sand in bare feet.
The apartment was completely bare — no furniture at all.
We completed the project with the bare minimum of resources.
Noun: the large mammal. Verb: to carry, endure, or support something.
A brown bear appeared at the edge of the forest.
I cannot bear the thought of losing this account.
The old bridge can still bear heavy loads.
Common mistake
Writing 'bare' when you mean to endure: "I can't bare this" (correct: bear). Or 'bear' for something uncovered: "She had bear arms" (correct: bare arms).
Trick to remember it
'Bear' sounds like the strong animal — bears are powerful and can carry and endure things. 'Bare' sounds like 'air' — bare things are exposed to the open air.
Quick rule
Is it the animal or enduring something? 'Bear'. Is it uncovered, empty, or minimal? 'Bare'.
Did you know?
'Bear' as a verb has over 15 distinct meanings: bear a child, bear a resemblance, bear in mind, bear fruit, bear witness, bear arms, bear right. It is one of the most polysemous verbs in English.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The news was so difficult to _____ that she had to leave the room.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The office walls were completely _____ — someone had taken all the artwork.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it the animal or enduring something? 'Bear'. Is it uncovered, empty, or minimal? 'Bare'.
Writing 'bare' when you mean to endure: "I can't bare this" (correct: bear). Or 'bear' for something uncovered: "She had bear arms" (correct: bare arms).
'Bear' sounds like the strong animal — bears are powerful and can carry and endure things. 'Bare' sounds like 'air' — bare things are exposed to the open air.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy