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
In a previous news release, police said that firefighters found a blaze located in the first-floor rear bedroom of a mid-terraced house. —David Chiu, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025 Sporting a 100% polyester design and three rear pockets, this jersey won’t ride up due to its secure elastic hem. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
Both incidents took place in the 5300 block of South Kedzie Avenue about 10 p.m. Police responded to a person shot and found a door open in the rear of an apartment building. —Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025 Bugatti Next, all-new 'directional' wheels (20-inchers at the front, and 21 inches at the rear) not only look sharp, but are also designed to increase airflow to cool the rear radiator. —New Atlas, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
Orson Fortune, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Guy Ritchie rears his head again, and boy, is this one a doozy. —Rebecca Pahle, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025 The issue first reared its head last week when an investigative journalist unearthed that one of the doc’s narrators was the son of a Hamas minister. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Feb. 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
  • Those among the sea of Houston red, which stretched from near courtside to the back parts of the upper deck, knew this one was for Hakeem Olajuwon.
    — Terence Moore, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • On the plus side, Tuten has legitimate three-down back potential.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of back
Noun
  • Ahead of the election, Republicans had 218 seats in the House -- a slim majority.
    — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2025
  • And despite joining forces last summer to win more seats in the National Assembly than any other coalition, France’s left-wing parties are once again divided over minor differences and competing strategies over the next presidential election.
    — Cole Stangler, Time, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of seat
Verb
  • By comparison, Fine raised less than $1 million between November 26, 2024, and March 3.
    — Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Instead of getting other nations to lower their trade barriers, these groups want the U.S. to protect its manufacturers by raising tariffs and discouraging imports.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of raise
Verb
  • With many left homeless by the quake, and many others staying away from their homes because of fears that ongoing aftershocks will bring them down, workers in Naypyitaw labored in the 40 C (104 F) heat to busily erect big tents in open fields to provide some shelter.
    — DAVID RISING, Time, 4 Apr. 2025
  • With many left homeless by the earthquake, and many others staying away from their homes over fears ongoing aftershocks will bring them down, workers in Naypyitaw labored in the 40 degree Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) busily erected big tents in open fields to provide some shelter.
    — David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • He’s done so much for the organization, given his heart and soul to it and building a culture that’s respected.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Packer congratulated Miller before launching into a conversation about building relationships with frequent collaborators and identifying target audiences.
    — Lauren Coates, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • As this reality sets in, there is a growing opening for fintech startups to bridge the gap.
    — Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Taissa's growing desperation reveals hidden aspects of herself.
    — Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of grow
Noun
  • The tail comes thanks to the excessive solar wind that pummels the planet, which resides close to the sun.
    — Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Monster Hunter Wilds is likely to repeat the long tail of sales that World saw, with a number of new events taking place every week and a slew of big updates coming very soon.
    — Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of tail
Verb
  • The fish may have helped the survival of this fortress-colony that was both stricken with drought and fostering turbulent relationships with the Native inhabitants.
    — Logan Kistler, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2025
  • His absence provides rookie KJ Simpson with an opportunity to foster his development heading into the offseason and likely appearances with the summer league team in July.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of foster

Phrases Containing rear

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reaps
rear
reared
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Cite this Entry

“Rear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rear. Accessed 13 Apr. 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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