WordGarden.iobare
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈeə/
US
- /ˈbɛr/
Meanings
Adjective
not covered, clothed, or decorated; left exposed or empty
only the minimum; just enough and no more
Verb
to uncover or expose something
to reveal something openly
Beyond the definition
To be bare can mean physically uncovered – like a bare tree in winter, stripped of its leaves. But it also means reduced to the essentials, or lacking adornment. A bare room might have only a bed and a chair. You might offer a bare apology, meaning a simple one without much detail. It suggests something is exposed, vulnerable, or simplified down to what's most important. Think of a bare truth – it's raw and unvarnished.
Imagine a climber scaling a mountain; they might face a bare, windswept peak with no shelter. Or picture an author writing a bare-bones outline before filling in the details of their story. The word often hints at simplicity, honesty, or even hardship.
The word "bare" carries a surprising amount of weight for such a short syllable. At its most literal, it means lacking covering – exposed to the elements. Bare feet touch the earth directly, bare branches reach up toward the sky, and a bare landscape stretches out before you, stripped of foliage.
But "bare" goes beyond the physical. It can describe something reduced to its most essential form. A bare minimum is the least amount acceptable; a bare outline is a simple sketch without details. This sense of reduction implies honesty and directness – a bare truth is unadorned, unfiltered, and sometimes even uncomfortable.
"Bare" can also suggest vulnerability or hardship. To be left with nothing but your bare essentials after a disaster speaks to loss and resilience. A bare existence suggests a life of poverty and struggle.
Historically, "bare" comes from Old English roots meaning "naked" or "uncovered." This original sense still resonates today, whether describing physical exposure or the emotional vulnerability of revealing your true self.
So, whether it's a tree in winter, a simple apology, or a difficult truth, "bare" speaks to what is exposed, essential, and often powerfully honest.
Examples
- 1
Bare feet
The children ran across the grass in their bare feet.
- 2
Empty walls
The apartment still had bare white walls.
- 3
Winter trees
By January, the trees were completely bare.
- 4
Essentials
We brought only the bare essentials for the weekend.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Minimum effort
He did the bare minimum and left early.
- Phrasethe bare minimum
the least that is necessary
- 6
Animal threat
The dog bared its teeth when I reached for the ball.
- Phrasebare your teeth
show your teeth in a threatening way
- 7
Revealing problems
The report laid bare the problems in the system.
- Phraselay bare
reveal something clearly
- 8
Private feelings
After a few minutes, she began to bare her soul to the stranger.
- Phrasebare your soul
talk very openly about your private feelings
See also
Forms and spellings
6 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- bareverbadjective
Forms
- baring-ing formverbadjective
- baredpast tenseverbadjective
- baresverbadjective
- barestsuperlativeadjectiveverb
- barercomparativeadjectiveverb