Is it bear or bare in mind?

You are writing a note of advice to a friend and pause to consider: Is it bear in mind or bare in mind? Let us help. Bear is the correct word when you mean to keep something in your thoughts or remember something.

As an adjective, the word bare refers to something that is uncovered, exposed, or stripped down to its essentials—such as bare walls, bare feet, or bare bones. This meaning extends to the verb, such as in the phrase bare your soul. Bare in mind is nonsensical because it does not convey the idea of holding or carrying a thought. Instead, it would imply exposing or revealing something in the mind, which is not the intended meaning of the phrase.

Bare is about unmasking, whereas bear in this context is about sustaining and enduring, such as in the expressions bring to bear, bear the brunt, and grin and bear it. This is why bear in mind is the correct choice when you want to remind someone to remember or consider something. It is about holding a thought in your mental space, much like how you might bear a physical load.