Explanation at your level:
To bury means to put something in the ground. Imagine you have a toy. You dig a hole in the dirt. You put the toy in the hole. You cover the toy with dirt. Now the toy is buried. You can also bury things like seeds to help them grow. It is a simple action. You do it with your hands or a shovel.
When you bury something, you hide it under the ground. Sometimes animals bury food for winter. People also bury things they want to keep safe. If you lose your keys in the garden, they might be buried under the grass. It is a very useful word for talking about things we hide or put away in the earth.
At this level, you can use bury in more ways. We often use it to talk about being busy. If you say, 'I am buried in work,' it means you have too much to do. It is a metaphor. We also use it for serious things, like burying a person who has died. It is a common word in news reports and daily conversation.
In B2, you will notice bury used in idioms. 'Bury the hatchet' is a great phrase for making peace. You might also hear 'bury the truth,' which means to hide facts. The word is versatile. It can describe physical actions, emotional states, or even abstract concepts like hiding information from the public.
At the C1 level, you should look at the nuance of the word. While it literally means to inter something, it is frequently used to describe suppression. For example, a company might 'bury' a report that shows they made a mistake. This implies a deliberate attempt to keep information out of the public eye. It is a powerful verb in political or corporate discourse.
Mastering bury involves understanding its literary and archaic weight. In poetry, it can symbolize finality or the passage of time. Etymologically, it connects to the concept of a 'burg' or fortified town, suggesting that to bury something is to place it within a secure, enclosed space. Whether discussing archaeological digs, the suppression of evidence, or the finality of death, the word carries a deep, historical resonance that native speakers use to add gravity to their sentences.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Bury means to put something in the ground.
- It is also used to mean being overwhelmed by work.
- It rhymes with 'berry', not 'fury'.
- It is a very versatile word for both physical and abstract hiding.
Hey there! Let's talk about the word bury. At its core, it is a physical action. Think of a dog hiding a bone in the garden—that is burying. You dig a hole, put the object inside, and cover it back up with dirt.
Beyond the physical, we use this word in figurative ways. If you say you are buried in work, you don't mean you are literally under the ground! You mean you have so much to do that you feel covered or overwhelmed by it. It is a very common way to describe being busy.
Finally, it is used in a somber way to refer to funerals. When someone passes away, we bury them as a final act of respect. It is a word that carries both very simple, daily meanings and some very serious, heavy ones.
The history of bury is quite fascinating! It comes from the Old English word byrgan, which meant to hide or inter. It is related to the word borough, which originally referred to a fortified place or a protected enclosure.
Historically, the spelling has changed quite a bit. Because of the way English pronunciation shifted over hundreds of years, we ended up with a spelling that doesn't match the sound. Even though it is spelled with a 'u', it is pronounced like an 'e' sound.
It shares roots with Germanic languages, specifically the Old Saxon burgian. It has been a staple of the English language since the very beginning, evolving from a simple act of covering something with earth into the diverse verb we use today.
You will see bury used in many different contexts. In a casual setting, you might tell a friend, 'I need to bury my head in the sand,' meaning you are ignoring a problem. In a professional context, you might hear a colleague say, 'I'm buried in paperwork,' which is a standard way to complain about a heavy workload.
Common collocations include bury the hatchet (to make peace), bury alive, and bury deep. The register is generally neutral, though it can become quite formal when discussing funeral rites or historical excavations.
Be careful with the preposition in versus under. You usually bury something in the ground or under a pile of leaves. Both are correct, but they change the focus slightly from the location to the covering material.
English is full of fun idioms using bury! Here are five you should know:
- Bury the hatchet: To stop fighting and become friends again.
- Bury your head in the sand: To ignore a problem hoping it will go away.
- Bury the lead: To hide the most important part of a story until the end.
- Bury someone in work: To give someone so much work they cannot finish it.
- Bury the past: To stop thinking or worrying about past mistakes.
The verb bury is regular, so the past tense and past participle are buried. The third-person singular is buries. It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes an object (e.g., 'He buried the treasure').
Pronunciation is the trickiest part! Even though it looks like it should rhyme with 'fury,' it actually rhymes with 'berry.' In both British and American English, the IPA is /ˈbɛri/. The 'u' is silent in terms of its standard vowel sound.
Stress is always on the first syllable: BUR-y. If you are struggling, just think of the fruit 'berry' and add a 'b' to the front. It is a great way to remember the sound!
Fun Fact
It is related to the word 'borough' because both come from the idea of a protected or hidden place.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds exactly like the fruit 'berry'.
Identical to the UK pronunciation.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'u' as in 'cup'
- Rhyming with 'fury'
- Stress on the second syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to use
Pronunciation is tricky
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Past Tense Regular Verbs
bury -> buried
Transitive Verbs
He buried the box.
Idiomatic Expressions
bury the hatchet
Examples by Level
The dog wants to bury his bone.
dog / hide / bone
infinitive verb
I bury the seed in the soil.
plant / seed / ground
present tense
He buried the box.
past / hide / container
past tense
Do not bury the key.
negative / command
imperative
They bury the treasure.
hiding / gold
plural subject
She likes to bury her face.
hiding / face / pillow
verb + object
We bury the old wood.
discard / wood
simple sentence
Can you bury this?
question / request
modal verb
I buried my diary in the garden.
The squirrel buried an acorn.
They buried the time capsule.
Please don't bury your toys.
The snow buried the path.
He buried his hands in his pockets.
We buried the old fence.
She buried the letter under the books.
I am buried in work this week.
Let's bury the hatchet and be friends.
The company tried to bury the news.
He buried his face in his hands.
The secret was buried for years.
She buried her feelings deep inside.
The village was buried by the landslide.
Don't bury your head in the sand.
The scandal was buried by the media.
He buried himself in his studies.
She buried the memory of that day.
The evidence was buried in the files.
They buried the project after the failure.
We need to bury these old grudges.
The truth was buried under layers of lies.
He buried his ambition for his family.
The administration sought to bury the controversial report.
She buried her grief under a mask of professionalism.
The ancient ruins were buried by volcanic ash.
He buried his identity to start a new life.
The architect buried the cables beneath the floor.
The past cannot be buried so easily.
They buried the opposition in a landslide victory.
The project was buried in bureaucratic red tape.
The narrative was buried beneath layers of complex symbolism.
He buried his conscience to achieve his goals.
The artifacts were buried in a tomb for centuries.
She buried her resentment until it finally erupted.
The truth was buried in the archives of history.
The cultural traditions were buried by modern influence.
He buried his soul in his music.
The memories were buried in the deepest recesses of his mind.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"bury the hatchet"
to make peace
We decided to bury the hatchet.
casual"bury your head in the sand"
to ignore reality
Stop burying your head in the sand.
neutral"bury the lead"
to miss the main point
You buried the lead in your report.
journalistic"bury someone in work"
to overwhelm
My boss buried me in work.
casual"bury the past"
to move on
It is time to bury the past.
neutral"bury the hatchet"
to end a conflict
They finally buried the hatchet.
neutralEasily Confused
They sound the same.
Berry is a fruit; bury is a verb.
I ate a berry after I buried the seed.
Looks like 'fury'.
Bury rhymes with berry.
Don't confuse the two!
Sentence Patterns
Subject + bury + object
He buried the box.
Subject + bury + object + in + place
She buried the key in the garden.
Subject + be + buried + in + noun
I am buried in work.
Subject + bury + oneself + in + noun
He buried himself in his books.
Subject + bury + object + under + noun
The snow buried the car under a drift.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
8/10
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
The root is bury.
The 'u' is silent.
Use 'in' for location.
Bury implies ground/earth.
Use past participle.
Tips
Say It Right
Think of a 'berry' to get the sound perfect.
Workload Tip
Use 'buried in work' to sound like a native speaker.
Past Tense
Remember to add -ed for the past tense.
Mnemonic
Bury = Berry.
Respect
Use the word carefully when discussing death.
Context
Learn it with 'ground' or 'work'.
Spelling
Don't let the 'u' trick you!
History
It is related to 'borough'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember: 'Bury' rhymes with 'berry'.
Visual Association
A squirrel burying a nut in a berry patch.
Word Web
Challenge
Write three sentences using 'bury' today.
Word Origin
Old English
Original meaning: to hide or inter
Cultural Context
Be careful when discussing death; use 'bury' respectfully.
Used frequently in both fun contexts (gardening, pets) and somber ones (funerals).
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Gardening
- bury the seeds
- bury the bulb
- bury in soil
Work
- buried in work
- buried in emails
- buried in files
History/Archaeology
- buried artifacts
- buried city
- buried tomb
Conflict
- bury the hatchet
- bury the past
- bury the grudge
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever buried a time capsule?"
"Do you ever feel buried in work?"
"Why do you think people bury things?"
"Is it hard to bury the past?"
"What is the strangest thing you have ever buried?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you felt buried in work.
If you could bury a time capsule, what would you put in it?
Why is it important to 'bury the hatchet'?
Describe a place where you would like to bury a secret.
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsIt sounds like 'berry'.
Yes, it becomes 'buried'.
Yes, figuratively.
Burial.
Usually, but bury implies ground or covering.
It is neutral.
Yes, that is very common.
It is a relic of older English spelling.
Test Yourself
The dog wants to ___ his bone.
Bury fits the context of hiding.
What does 'bury' mean?
Bury is to hide in the ground.
Is 'bury' pronounced like 'fury'?
It rhymes with 'berry'.
Word
Meaning
It is a common idiom.
I am buried in work.
Score: /5
Summary
Remember that 'bury' rhymes with 'berry' and is used both for physical digging and feeling overwhelmed by tasks.
- Bury means to put something in the ground.
- It is also used to mean being overwhelmed by work.
- It rhymes with 'berry', not 'fury'.
- It is a very versatile word for both physical and abstract hiding.
Say It Right
Think of a 'berry' to get the sound perfect.
Workload Tip
Use 'buried in work' to sound like a native speaker.
Past Tense
Remember to add -ed for the past tense.
Mnemonic
Bury = Berry.
Example
The dog likes to bury its bones in the garden so it can find them later.
Related Content
Learn it in Context
This Word in Other Languages
Related Phrases
More Actions words
abcredance
C1To formally grant credibility or validate the authenticity of a claim, process, or document based on rigorous evidence. It involves the transition of a statement or entity from a state of uncertainty to one of accepted institutional or logical fact.
abnasccide
C1Describing something that is characterized by a natural tendency to shed, detach, or be cut off at a specific stage of development or under certain conditions. It is most commonly used in botanical or technical contexts to describe parts that are designed to separate from the main body.
absorb
B2To take in or soak up energy, liquid, or other substances by chemical or physical action; also used metaphorically to mean taking in and understanding information or grasping the full attention of someone.
abstain
C1To voluntarily refrain from an action or practice, especially one that is considered unhealthy or morally questionable. It is also used formally to describe the act of choosing not to cast a vote in an election or deliberation.
abvictly
C1To decisively and abruptly resolve a complex situation or dispute by exercising overwhelming force or authority. It describes the act of bringing an immediate, non-negotiable end to a conflict, often bypassing traditional steps of negotiation.
abvitfy
C1The inherent capacity or latent potential within a system or individual to adapt quickly and effectively to unforeseen technological or structural changes. It describes a sophisticated form of resilience that allows for an immediate pivot and evolution without a loss of core function.
accelerate
C1To increase the speed or rate of something, or to make a process happen sooner than expected. In technical contexts, it refers to the rate of change of velocity, while in general contexts, it often describes the speeding up of progress or development.
accept
A1To agree to receive something that someone offers you, or to say yes to an invitation or a suggestion. It can also mean to believe that something is true or to recognize a situation as it is.
achieve
A2To successfully reach a goal or finish a task using your effort and skills. It describes the act of completing something positive after working hard for it.
acquiesce
C1To accept something reluctantly but without protest. It describes a situation where someone agrees to a demand or proposal, often because they feel they have no other choice or do not wish to argue.
