1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To remain emotionally strong, calm, or resilient when facing hardship, grief, or difficulty.
"Despite losing her job and her father in the same month, she bore up remarkably well."
bear up
B2 neutral intransitive
To remain strong, cheerful, or resilient in the face of difficulty, suffering, or grief.
In plain English
To stay strong and not give up, even when things are very difficult or sad.
What does "bear up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To physically support weight; to hold something up. (Less common, more literal)
"The old beams were barely bearing up under the weight of the new roof."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To bear (carry) oneself upward — to hold oneself up despite the weight of hardship.
Actually means
To stay strong and not give up, even when things are very difficult or sad.
Usage tip
Often used as an encouragement ('Bear up!') or as a description of someone's emotional state ('She's bearing up well'). Slightly formal; more common in British English than American. Conveys admiration for resilience.
Words that pair with "bear up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
well remarkably stoically grief loss pressure
How to conjugate "bear up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bear up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bears up
he/she/it
Past simple
bore up
yesterday
Past participle
born/borne up
have + pp
-ing form
bearing up
continuous
Hear "bear up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bear up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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