be

verb

ˈbē How to pronounce be (audio)
Definition of benext
1
as in to live
to have life stories that begin with the familiar line "once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stand
to occupy a place or location we'll be there waiting for you

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to rank
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes our school's football team is first in its division

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to happen
to take place the party is next Saturday

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 be Carondelet Drive closed There is a road closure on Carondelet Drive between State Line Road and I-435 East. — Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026 There are also Koele Suites, which are closer to 800 square feet and have dining areas that seat four, and a Kaiholena Suite, which is almost 2,000 square feet. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 At the same time, there are gates into Hidden Hills and then another gate and armed security. — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 When the first trailer came out, there was a lot of noise – some good, some bad. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for be
  1. live
  2. stand
  3. rank
  4. happen
  5. exist
  6. lie
  7. place
  8. come
Verb
  • The White House has grappled with how to address the cost of living ahead of the midterms, which are less than two weeks away.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Old women lived there, lined up in front of the doors seeking shade, gathered at the laundry pool chatting for hours, discussing the Colony and the young folk and how life often goes on too long.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of live
Verb
  • In a broad open field, horses munch standing hay as Katie Baltzor watches her black angus cattle on this fall day.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Gendarmes stood guard beneath the Arc de Triomphe as shopkeepers boarded up storefronts across Paris.
    — Richard Engel, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of stand
Verb
  • About 3 in 5 Idaho adults live in households with guns, which ranks among the highest rates nationally, according to an estimate from the RAND Gun Policy in America initiative.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Here’s a closer look at where those marks rank in UM history.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of rank
Verb
  • This year, that did not happen initially, according to officials in three states who spoke to NPR anonymously because they weren't authorized to speak to the press.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Room for Disagreement No matter what happens with Permian oil production, the region is set to see a windfall from the influx of hyperscale data centers, including an enormous one Chevron is building southwest of Midland.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of happen
Verb
  • Eventually, an edict from the top came that existing attorneys should not anticipate additions to the court teams, according to one source.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • More than half said maintaining an existing investment strategy is generally the best approach during an election year.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of exist
Verb
  • That the first foreign policy message after the victory went to Moscow, and through a Russian state outlet, says a good deal about where the new government’s instincts lie.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Before long, the barricades lay tossed aside and the tents within went up in smoke, along with Vucic's power.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of lie
Verb
  • BetMGM is offering new users a chance to place a bet and get $1,500 in bonuses if the bet loses when using promo code FOXNEWS.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The integrated circuit In 1958, engineer Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments demonstrated an integrated circuit that placed multiple electronic components on a single piece of semiconductor material.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of place
Verb
  • At meetings in 2014 and 2016, both of which came six days before elections, the Fed held steady.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Further announcements for the 2027 event will be due in the coming months.
    — Thomas Smith, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of come

Phrases Containing be

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bazaars
be
beach
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Cite this Entry

“Be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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