bares the question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bares the question" is not correct; the correct expression is "begs the question." You can use it when discussing a situation that raises an obvious question or assumption that needs to be addressed.
Example: "His argument is flawed because it begs the question of whether the initial premise is valid."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And that in itself bares the question: How much does the Democratic Establishment want to have Barack Obama in the White House?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As the author James Baldwin observed, "The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden by the answers".

Huffington Post

To bare or not to bare, that is the question.

The Guardian - Travel

(5) It narrows the investigation around the telecom immunity lawsuits from a sifting for possible violations of the law by the president in seeking warrantless wiretaps -- and by the telecoms in supplying those wiretaps -- to the bare question whether the president had attached a note from a legal authority in requesting help with his searches and seizures.

Huffington Post

We could have lasted until June 2001 if we had scaled back to the bare bone, but then the question was: Would you run a company near bankruptcy or shut it down now and give shareholders some money back?

Forbes

There is little judgment beyond the scholarly essential or the odd sprinkle of humour, as when discussing the question of bare-breasted figureheads ("a display of female flesh in an all-male environment does not necessarily call for in-depth explanation").

The Guardian - Books

He looks down at his bare feet before he answers the question about what he hopes for.

Unicef

Then there's the question of how baring all on national TV will affect participants.

Independent

The question of existence is thus laid bare.

SEP

Notwithstanding their bare parliamentary majority, a coalition of the three left-of-center parties is out of the question.

The New Yorker

In fact, the only point on which fictionalists disagree with Platonists is the bare question of whether there exist any such things as abstract objects (and, as a result, the question about whether mathematical sentences are literally true).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "bares the question". The correct idiomatic expression is "begs the question", which is used to describe a situation that raises an obvious question or makes an assumption that needs to be addressed.

Common error

The verb "bare" means to uncover or expose, while "beg" means to ask earnestly or assume something without proof. Using "bares" instead of "begs" in the phrase changes the meaning and creates a grammatical error. Always use "begs the question" to properly convey the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bares the question" is an incorrect usage attempting to convey the idea of something prompting or revealing a question. However, it is grammatically flawed. The correct idiom is "begs the question", as indicated by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "bares the question" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the proper idiomatic expression to use when an argument assumes the very thing it's trying to prove or raises an obvious question is "begs the question". While "bares the question" appears occasionally in news and media, it's best to avoid it in favor of the correct and more widely understood alternative to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. Consider alternatives like "raises the question", "prompts the question", or "calls into question", if "begs the question" does not precisely fit the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

begs the question

This is the correct and standard idiom for raising a question due to an underlying assumption.

raises the question

This alternative directly indicates that a question is being brought up for consideration.

prompts the question

This suggests that something instigates or encourages a question to be asked.

poses the question

Similar to raises the question, but perhaps in a more formal manner.

brings up the question

This phrase indicates that a question is being introduced into a discussion or consideration.

gives rise to the question

This suggests that a situation or statement leads to a particular question.

invites the question

This alternative implies that something makes it natural or logical to ask a question.

calls into question

This indicates that something challenges the validity or truth of something else, leading to doubt.

underscores the question

This phrase emphasizes the importance or relevance of a question.

highlights the question

Similar to underscores, this emphasizes the question, making it more noticeable.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "bares the question"?

The correct and commonly accepted phrasing is "begs the question". The phrase "bares the question" is grammatically incorrect.

When should I use the phrase "begs the question"?

Use "begs the question" when you want to indicate that an argument or statement assumes the very thing it is trying to prove, or when a situation raises an obvious question that needs to be addressed.

What does "begs the question" actually mean?

Begs the question means that an argument assumes something it should be proving, or it raises a significant question that needs to be answered before the argument can proceed.

Are there alternatives to "begs the question" that I can use?

While "begs the question" is the most idiomatic, you can also use phrases like "raises the question", "prompts the question", or "calls into question" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.