bare-bones

1 of 2

adjective

: including only what is most basic or necessary
a bare-bones email program
Skyscrapers of steel hung with curtain walls of glass, these sleek buildings were impressive monuments to bare-bones architectural integrity.C. A. Mills

bare bones

2 of 2

plural noun

: the barest essentials, facts, or elements
the bare bones of her life

Examples of bare-bones in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
But in a tiny casting room in the far corner of a bare-bones rehearsal studio, lethargy has been left at the door. Kate Lloyd, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2025 Those clandestine, rural production sites were often bare-bones, improvised labs covered with tree branches and tarpaulins. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 19 Feb. 2025
Plural noun
The post-operative note is bare bones and also fails to have any sense of credibility regarding who created it, when it was created or who the was the actual non-doctor that performed this shower and shave post operative evaluation. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025 Set up by the state, the policies typically have higher premiums and more bare bones coverage than private carriers. Meena Duerson, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bare-bones

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1868, in the meaning defined above

Plural Noun

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bare-bones was in 1647

Browse Nearby Entries

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Cite this Entry

“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bare-bones. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

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