: 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
C. A. Mills
: the barest essentials, facts, or elements
the bare bones of her life
Examples of bare-bones in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Abby Aguirre, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025
The only drawback is that this Liva model is sold as a bare-bones kit, requiring installing components and an OS yourself.
—PCMAG, 10 Feb. 2025
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 
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Adjective
The backstage area, open and bare-bones, felt a little like a YMCA locker room.
—Abby Aguirre, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025
The only drawback is that this Liva model is sold as a bare-bones kit, requiring installing components and an OS yourself.
—PCMAG, 10 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
Dictionary Entries Near bare-bones
Cite this Entry
“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bare-bones. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
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