Bear
Bear verb - To take to or upon oneself.
Usage example: I bear some responsibility for the mishap
Shoulder is a synonym for bear in support topic. In some cases you can use "Shoulder" instead the word "Bear" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like assume, sustain, take on, support mentally.
Shoulder
Shoulder verb - To take to or upon oneself.
Usage example: agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father
Bear is a synonym for shoulder in behaviour topic. You can use "Bear" instead the word "Shoulder" as a verb or a noun, if it concerns topics such as action, assume, support, be responsible for.
Nearby Words: shouldered, shouldering
Mutual synonyms
Common collocations
| responsibility | bear responsibility | shoulder responsibility |
| name | bear name | shoulder name |
| burden | bear burden | shoulder burden |
| weight | bear weight | shoulder weight |
| Other words: suffering, consequences. | ||
Both words in one sentence
- Henry and Frederick's A-Support has Henry making the most hilarious sound ever when Frederick wraps him in a bear hug and cries tears of joy into his shoulder.
Source: Funny / Fire Emblem Awakening -
Grunt is mostly a Blood Knight who is built like a truck, but upon seeing his Parental Substitute Shepard when they reunite in 3, he shoulder-barges past his squad to give Shepard a bear-hug.
Source: Bruiser with a Soft Center - On the other shoulder, instead of an angel, it would be something like a bear or an astronaut, giving advice pertaining to that character.
Cite this Source
Shoulder and Bear. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/bear/shoulder
Bear & Shoulder. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/bear/shoulder>.
Shoulder or Bear. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/bear/shoulder.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "bear" and "shoulder" have occurred on timeline