All Definitions for Be
Below are all the dictionary definitions of be:
1As an auxiliary verb:
2Used with past participles of verbs to form the passive voice.
3Used with present participles of verbs to form the continuous aspect.
4Used with to-infinitives of verbs to express intent, obligation, appropriateness, or relative future occurrence.
5Used with past participles of certain intransitive verbs to form the perfect aspect.
6To tend to do, often do
7Marks the habitual aspect.
8As a copulative verb:
9To exist.
10Used to declare the subject and object identical or equivalent.
11Used to indicate that a predicate nominal applies to the subject.
12Used to indicate that the subject has the qualities described by an adjective or prepositional phrase.
13Used to indicate that the subject has the qualities described by a noun or noun phrase.
14Used to link a subject to a measurement.
15Used to state the age of a subject in years.
16Used to indicate the time of day.
17Used to indicate passage of time since the occurrence of an event.
18To pass or spend (time).
19To take a period of time.
20Used to indicate ambient conditions such as weather, light, noise or air quality.
21To exist or behave in a certain way.
22As an intransitive lexical verb:
23To exist
24To have real existence, to be alive.
25To remain undisturbed in a certain state or situation.
26To occupy a place.
27To occur, to take place.
28Elliptical form of "be here", "go to and return from" or similar, also extending to certain other senses of "go".
29The name of the Cyrillic script letter Б / б
30Used to link two noun clauses: a day of the week, recurring date, month, or other specific time (on which the event of the main clause took place) and a period of time indicating how long ago that day was.
31Abbreviation of Berlin: a state of Germany. [The capital and largest city of Germany.]
32Initialism of Bachelor of Engineering. [An undergraduate degree focused on engineering.]
33Initialism of Black English. [Any of several varieties of English spoken by or associated with Black people, especially people of African origin or in Africa.]
34Initialism of Buddhist Era. [A calendrical system dating from after the death of the Buddha (taken as 543 BCE).]
35Abbreviation of Bengkulu: a province of Indonesia. [A province of Indonesia on the southwest coast of Sumatra.]
36Initialism of breast expansion.
37Initialism of board-eligible.
About synonyms for be
Finding the right synonym for be helps writers avoid repetition and add precision to their work. Defined as "As an auxiliary verb:", be has 2 alternatives that can fit different contexts and tones.
Each synonym carries a slightly different shade of meaning. Follow is the most direct replacement in most situations. Live works well in formal or professional contexts.
When choosing a synonym, consider the connotation, formality level, and audience. Some alternatives work better in casual conversation while others shine in academic or professional writing. For example, using a more formal synonym in a business email can elevate your tone, while a casual synonym might feel more natural in creative writing or dialogue.
It is also worth noting that not all synonyms are perfectly interchangeable. The context of your sentence, the surrounding words, and the intended emotional impact all play a role in selecting the best alternative. The list above provides the most common and useful replacements for be, but always read your sentence aloud to ensure the chosen word flows naturally.