bore

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "bore" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as either a verb or a noun and has multiple meanings. Example sentence: The long lecture bored the students.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Central Americans displayed a sounder structure, with the wing-backs helping the three centre-backs and the midfield providing protection too, and Mora suggested that he bore no ill-effects from his torment in Elche by producing a phenomenal one-handed save to deny Erin Vandenbergh early on.

The Guardian - Sport

Back in 2008, according to interrogation documents, handlers were forced to admit to new recruits coming straight from Europe that their facilities unfortunately bore no resemblance to those depicted in recruiting videos.

The Guardian

Constituency polls in the past 48 hours have suggested both men could lose their seats at the next election, but Clegg dismissed the Survation poll in his Sheffield Hallam seat as "complete and utter nonsense", saying it bore no relation to his experience on the ground.

The Guardian

Lisa Jardine, academic I'm a fan of The Apprentice and used to bore my colleagues by telling them how much they could learn from how shrewdly Alan Sugar set tasks, and judged the candidates on their outcomes.

The Guardian

The only time it is hard is when I get the tube home at night: I live two miles from the station, so now I have to time my arrival to get the bus, which is a bore.

The Guardian

Some saw it as a masterpiece, others as a bore.

The Guardian - Film

The truth is that a morally elevated fashion industry would bore the tailored pants off most people.

The Guardian - Opinion

If the slapstick defending to which they bore witness continues, a certain Merseyside-based Uruguayan could well run amok.

The Guardian - Sport

Gabor Poloskei struck the second in the 11th minute, taking advantage of the positioning of Mora, who, in his only really awful mistake in the game, completely lost his bearings as the forward bore down on him.

The Guardian - Sport

Killed them all, of course" – occurs after the film-makers present him with a letter he wrote to his friend Susan Berman which bore a close resemblance to an anonymous note sent by Berman's killer to the Beverly Hills police on the day of her murder.

The Guardian

Yet, despite his frailty and air of innate sadness, he bore the ignominy of this parody of a Psycho with quiet dignity, giving each scene his best effort, never complaining, never talking about the old days, and happy to chat with the other actors.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "bore" to mean creating a hole, specify the material being bored to provide clarity (e.g., "bore a hole in the wood").

Common error

Avoid confusing "bore" (to drill or cause tedium) with "boar" (a male pig). Use context to ensure the correct word is used. For example, "The lecture was a "bore"", not "The lecture was a boar."

Linguistic Context

The word "bore" functions primarily as a verb, indicating the action of drilling or causing someone to feel uninterested. It also functions as a noun, referring to a hole made by drilling or a tiresome person. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, these usages are standard in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Sport

17%

Opinion

10%

Less common in

Lifestyle

5%

Travel

2%

Film

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "bore" is a versatile term with distinct functions as both a verb and a noun. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and widely used. Its primary function is to indicate drilling or causing boredom, or to refer to the hole created or a tedious person. The word maintains a neutral register suitable for diverse contexts like news, sports, and opinion pieces, yet can shift to a formal or professional tone when describing technical specifications or allocating blame. Frequent usage of "bore" in authoritative sources like The Guardian and The Economist underscores its reliability and common occurrence in contemporary English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cause boredom

Emphasizes the act of making someone feel bored, a specific sense of the verb "bore".

be tedious

Focuses on the quality of being tiresome and monotonous.

drill a hole

Focuses specifically on the action of creating a hole, whereas "bore" can also refer to the diameter of a hole or causing tedium.

grow tired of

Highlights the process of becoming weary or uninterested in something.

weary someone

Focuses on the tiring effect that something or someone that is a "bore" might have.

drill through

Similar to "drill a hole", but with an emphasis on the through motion.

find uninteresting

Emphasizes the subjective experience of lacking interest.

lack interest

Highlights the absence of interest, relating to the state one experiences when something is a "bore".

penetrate

Focuses on the action of entering or piercing something, similar to making a hole.

lose patience

Emphasizes the dwindling of patience, often resulting from something that is tedious or a "bore".

FAQs

How can I use "bore" in a sentence?

You can use "bore" as a verb to mean to make a hole in something, as in "They used a drill to "bore" through the wall", or to mean to make someone feel uninterested or weary, as in "The lecture began to "bore" the students".

What are some synonyms for "bore" when it means to cause boredom?

Alternatives include "weary", "tire", "annoy", or "irritate", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How does the noun form of "bore" differ from the verb form?

As a noun, "bore" can refer to a hole that has been drilled, as in "The "bore" of the pipe was too narrow", or to a tiresome person or thing, as in "He is such a "bore"". The verb form refers to the action of drilling or causing boredom.

What's the difference between "bore" and "boring"?

"Bore" is the verb form (past tense of bear, or to make a hole, or to make someone feel uninterested) or a noun (a hole made by drilling, or a tiresome person). "Boring" is an adjective describing something that causes boredom, as in "The movie was very boring".