rear 1 of 3

adjective

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
Definition of rearnext
as in back
being at or in the part of something opposite the front part go to the back of the building and look out the rear window and you'll see the eagle

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rear

2 of 3

noun

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
1
as in tail
a behind part or surface the rear of the car was sleekly designed

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2
as in seat
the part of the body upon which someone sits fell off her skates onto her rear

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rear

3 of 3

verb

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
1
as in to raise
to bring to maturity through care and education watched a documentary on how wolves rear their young

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2
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position it took all the men in the village to rear the frame for the barn, pulling hard at the ropes until all the sides were standing

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3
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials the city has plans for rearing a new convention center over the next two years

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4
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care an amateur who rears rare orchids in a professional-grade greenhouse

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rear contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rear are boost, elevate, heave, hoist, lift, and raise. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

When could boost be used to replace rear?

While the synonyms boost and rear are close in meaning, boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for rear?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

In what contexts can heave take the place of rear?

Although the words heave and rear have much in common, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When can hoist be used instead of rear?

While in some cases nearly identical to rear, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When might lift be a better fit than rear?

The words lift and rear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

When is raise a more appropriate choice than rear?

The words raise and rear can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rear
Adjective
Missouri is one of the 29 states that requires vehicles to use front and back license plates, while Kansas vehicles only need the rear one, according to an article on Insurance.com. —Eleanor Nash july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2025 The rear camera array is rounded out by a 10MP telephoto lens with iOS, an aperture of f/2.4, a 36-degree FoV, and 3x optical zoom. —PC Magazine, 10 July 2025
Noun
His body was discovered in a hot tub at the rear of his Pacific Palisades home. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 July 2025 Bringing up the rear: on-screen Jiminy Cricket, a character who waved goodbye to spectators at the end of SpectroMagic. —Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2025
Verb
When the wasps were reared from the eggs, they were revealed to belong to four new species, according to the study. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025 Confirmation bias rears its ugly head, and the person convinces themselves that AI sentience is at hand. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rear
  1. back
  2. seat
  3. raise
  4. erect
  5. build
  6. grow
  7. tail
  8. foster
Adjective
  • Indeed, this right was a major issue for NHL players in their recent CBA negotiations with the league after a dispute between Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres concerning treatment for a neck and back injury.
    — Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • But a back injury limited him during his third season, in 2009, and his shoulder failed him in 2010.
    — Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 25 July 2025
Definition of back
Noun
  • The front seat offers supportive and comfortable Nappa leather sport seats.
    — Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 31 July 2025
  • Currently, Republicans hold 25 of the state's seats.
    — NPR Washington Desk, NPR, 30 July 2025
Definition of seat
Verb
  • Funds for the Parkland Library reopening came from a mix of allocations in the city budget, federal American Rescue Plan funds and donations raised through the Library Foundation.
    — Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 29 July 2025
  • The case raised major questions about the line between freedom of expression and privacy, and what is actually newsworthy.
    — Vanessa Romo, NPR, 28 July 2025
Definition of raise
Verb
  • As Florida enters peak hurricane season, questions persist about the safety of the detainees as well as staff housed at Alligator Alcatraz, the tent city quickly erected to hold migrants in the middle of the Everglades.
    — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2025
  • In the meantime, during the stalemate, Rice would visit the site almost every day, slipping through the fence that the township had erected around the boat to keep out trespassers.
    — John Carlisle, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • Calder nodded to Red Aspen, a Boise cosmetics startup that built a new headquarters on Overland Road in 2022, and JST Manufacturing, a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, which in 2021 consolidated three sites into one near the corner of Franklin and Eagle roads on Meridian’s eastern border.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 14 July 2025
  • Some tattoo artists feel like a machine doesn't belong in an industry built on human connection and trust.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • And Bellevue, to the east, has grown to a similar population size.
    — Austin Hornbostel, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
  • Now comes news that many kinds of ticks are expanding their range and growing more abundant in the Midwest.
    — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025
Definition of grow
Noun
  • In front of this, a huge sculpture of a whale’s tail is another reminder of the ocean life outside the walls—where guests can set sail for day trips, surrounded by giddy dolphins, and where the edge of Morocco can be seen on a clear day.
    — Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
  • Nick Moskovitz of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, told the AP that these meteors tend to move slower, which could result in tails that appear to linger in the sky for a bit longer.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
Definition of tail
Verb
  • The whole idea was to foster programming that isn’t commercially viable but remains culturally and educationally valuable.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The transformative power of data lies in its ability to foster active, meaningful collaboration.
    — SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 1 Aug. 2025
Definition of foster

Phrases Containing rear

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rear
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Cite this Entry

“Rear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rear. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rear

Nglish: Translation of rear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rear

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