Phrase guide

bear out

verb · 4 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

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  • /bɛəɹ ˈaʊt/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • bear someone out on something
  • It was a promising idea, but the evidence did not bear out their theory.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To maintain and support to the end; to defend to the last.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To move quickly and sharply in an outward direction during a race; to veer out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • That horse always bears out on the turns.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The stories and claims were born out by the evidence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: corroborate, underpin, support

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: match, fit, correspond, check, jibe, gibe, tally, agree

History

Etymology

From Middle English beren out, dissimilated from earlier Middle English outberen, equivalent to bear + out.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: confirmar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Catalan: corroborar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Chinese Mandarin: 證實 /证实 (zhèngshí) — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Dutch: bevestigen — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Finnish: tukea — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Finnish: vahvistaa — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • French: confirmer — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • French: corroborer — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Galician: confirmar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • German: bestätigen — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Italian: confermare — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Italian: dare ragione — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Portuguese: confirmar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Portuguese: corroborar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Spanish: confirmar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Spanish: corroborar — corroborate, prove, or confirm
  • Chinese Mandarin: 堅持到底 /坚持到底 (jiānchí dàodǐ) — maintain and support to the end
  • Finnish: kannatella — maintain and support to the end
  • Chinese Mandarin: 偏離賽道 /偏离赛道 (piānlí sàidào) — (of horses) move quickly
  • Finnish: siirtyä ulommas — (of horses) move quickly