the bare bones

plural noun

: the most basic or important elements or parts of something
The company reduced the staff to the bare bones.
—often + of
What are the bare bones of the story?

Examples of the bare bones in a Sentence

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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.
Their display was all the more impressive considering Iraola really is down to the bare bones. — Michael Cox, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025 Further north, surfers are called to the bare bones (but rustically beautiful) Chacahua, located at the tip of Lagunas de Chacahua National Park. — Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2025

Rhymes for the bare bones

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the bar
the bare bones
the baroque
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Cite this Entry

“The bare bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20bare%20bones. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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