Phrase guide

bare minimum

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /bɛə ˈmɪnɪməm/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /bɛː-/
  • General-American: /bɛɚ ˈmɪnəməm/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The smallest possible quantity or the least fulfilling, but still adequate, condition that is required, acceptable, or suitable for some purpose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: vähin — Translations
  • Finnish: välttämätön — Translations
  • French: strict minimum — Translations
  • French: minimum syndical — Translations
  • Polish: absolutne minimum — Translations
  • Spanish: lo más mínimo — Translations
  • Spanish: mínimum necesario / indispensable / mínimo — Translations
  • Spanish: lo estrictamente necesario — Translations
  • Spanish: ínfimo mínimum — Translations