bare
/bɛː/
Very CommonA lot of something, or very. Used as an intensifier in London slang.
Almost always hyperbolic. The speaker rarely means a literal large quantity. Common in MLE (Multicultural London English) across all age groups who grew up in London.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | there were bare people at the ting last night | There was a large crowd at the event. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | that lecture was bare long bro | The lecture felt extremely long. | reddit, 2024 |
| 03 | she's been texting him bare times today | She has messaged him many times. | x, 2022 |
| 04 | got bare work to do this weekend, not going out | A lot of work means no plans. | instagram, 2023 |
Use it when
- You want to say there is a lot of something.
- You want to intensify an adjective.
- You are expressing that something happened many times.
- You want to emphasise effort or dedication.
Do not use it when
- You mean the adjective bare as in naked or exposed.
- You are writing formally or professionally.
Origin and context
Part of Multicultural London English (MLE), a dialect that emerged in London in the 1980s and 1990s. Likely influenced by Jamaican Creole and other Caribbean languages brought to the UK.
- First seen
- 1990s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/london-slang-bareUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0