: one that bears: such as
a
b
: a plant yielding fruit
c
d
: one holding a check, draft, bond, or other order for payment especially if marked payable to bearer
—often used attributively
bearer bonds
Examples of bearer in a Sentence
the bearer of a U.S. passport
The check was marked “payable to bearer.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Military body bearers will carry the casket into the Capitol Rotunda.
—
Caroline Linton, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2025
It's symbolized by the water bearer and spans from Jan. 19 to Feb. 18 in 2025.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Listen carefully to proposals that may be controversial and never penalize the bearers of bad news or risk implications.
—Martin Zwilling, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
There cannot be: Most bearers of Mixe knowledge do not know how to read or write, either in Mixe or in Spanish.
—Yásnaya Elena A. Gil (tr. Ellen Jones), The Dial, 26 Nov. 2024
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Caroline Linton, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2025
It's symbolized by the water bearer and spans from Jan. 19 to Feb. 18 in 2025.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Listen carefully to proposals that may be controversial and never penalize the bearers of bad news or risk implications.
—Martin Zwilling, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
There cannot be: Most bearers of Mixe knowledge do not know how to read or write, either in Mixe or in Spanish.
—Yásnaya Elena A. Gil (tr. Ellen Jones), The Dial, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bearer
Dictionary Entries Near bearer
Cite this Entry
“Bearer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bearer. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bearer
noun
bear·er
ˈbar-ər 
ˈber-
1
: someone or something that bears, supports, or carries
2
: a person holding a check or order for payment
Legal Definition
bearer
1 of 2 noun
bear·er
ˈbar-ər
: a person holding a check, draft, or other negotiable instrument for payment especially marked payable to bearer or having a blank endorsement
bearer
2 of 2 adjective
: freely transferable by the holder with or without endorsement and with full title passing by delivery to the transferee: as
a
: not having a registered owner
b
: not designating a specific payee
a bearer instrument
bearer checks
compare order
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