bear up

verb

bore up; borne up also born up; bearing up; bears up

intransitive verb

1
: to summon up courage, resolution, or strength
bearing up under the strain
2
a
: to prove to be true, accurate, or valid : hold up
The deal was scrapped when it became apparent that it would not bear up to scrutiny from the European Commission.Lars Brandle
b
: to prove to be effective or able to withstand something : hold up
The brand … first became popular after the duo succeeded in building cars that could bear up to Sweden's rough roads and freezing temperatures.Hannah M. Muralla

Examples of bear up in a Sentence

repeatedly borne up in times of adversity by his faith
Recent Examples on the Web No parent wishes pain upon their child; but every parent wants the next generation to be able to bear up under its inevitable burden. Amory Rowe Salem and Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 9 Jan. 2024 But unless there was federal force there, the numbers didn’t bear up. How To Save A Country, The New Republic, 22 June 2023 It's been a consistent phenomenon for folks born up until the 1900s. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 14 Apr. 2023 As is true with much of life, income and wealth inequality — not some dreamy thought of everyone being absolutely equal, but a reasonable expectation that groups shouldn’t bear up under pressure so others can have an advantage —is an issue of hypocrisy. Erik Sherman, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 How can a show bear up under them for so long? Helen Shaw, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2021 The rock would then bear up much of the ice's weight, keeping it from deforming as easily. Nola Taylor Redd, Discover Magazine, 12 Jan. 2018 Another recent worldwide study found that the mental health of people was surprisingly resilient during the pandemic—suggesting, perhaps, that kindness helped others bear up in difficult times. Cassie Werber, Quartz, 20 Mar. 2023 Rent has become a giant lever of pain for millions of people who often are in the worst position to bear up under it. Erik Sherman, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bear up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of bear up was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near bear up

Cite this Entry

“Bear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20up. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bear up

verb
: to have the strength or courage
bear up under the strain

More from Merriam-Webster on bear up

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