v. 1
To support, sustain, or endure. To endure or withstand (hardship, scrutiny, etc.); to tolerate; to be patient (with).
It doesn’t bear thinking about.
v. 2
To endeavour to depress the price of, or prices in.
v. 3
To carry or convey, literally or figuratively.
what the market will bear
n. 1
A large, generally omnivorous mammal (a few species are purely carnivorous or herbivorous) of the family Ursidae; having shaggy fur, a very small tail, and flat feet.

Related words

Word family: bearberry bearcat bearherd bearish bearlet bearlike bearling bearly
Phrases: bear on bear witness bear up bear out bear down bear upon bear with polar bear
Is a kind of: carnivore mammal vertebrate animal creature
Other spellings: bere

Forms

Plural: bears → whelps, merits, hold-ups, turn-outs…
Past participle: beared
e.g. beared → carried, endured, taken, tolerated…

Choose the right word

Bear, Carries, Bears or Carry?

A person may bear a load either when in motion or at rest; he carries it only when in motion. The stooping Atlas bears the world on his shoulders; swiftly moving Time carries the hour-glass and scythe; a person may be said either to bear or to carry a scar, since it is upon him whether in motion or at rest.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

bring Every person is expected to bring their own lunch.
stand I don't mind the cold, but I can't stand the heat.
carry Kyoko had the kindness to carry my baggage for me.
endure They had to endure great hardship during the war.
expect You can't expect me to always think of everything!
fruit A swarm of flies want to eat your bread and fruit.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
bear		steady
bring		steady
stand		steady
carry		falling
endure		rising
expect		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

2 letters: do¹
3 letters: act¹
4 letters: have¹, take¹, head¹, meet¹, hold¹, wear¹
5 letters: bring¹, stand¹, allow², carry², stick¹, birth¹, fruit¹, nurse¹, yield¹, merit², brook¹, abide², whelp, bruin²
6 letters: expect², accept², assume², suffer², harbor², relate², behave², endure², acquit²
7 letters: concern², conduct², deliver³, stomach², harbour², possess², sustain², swallow², cherish², comport², gestate²
8 letters: shoulder², tolerate³
9 letters: entertain³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (allow² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: supporter
Español: aguantar
Català: aguantar