The antonym for the phrase "bear the cost" is to "avoid the cost." It means that instead of taking responsibility and paying for a past mistake, one tries to circumvent the cost by denying culpability or postponing payment. Another antonym could be "share the cost," which denotes a fair distribution of the expense among all the parties involved, rather than burdening one person with the entire financial burden. An alternative antonym is "benefit from the cost," i.e., where the cost is regarded as an investment that yields returns in the form of better services or products. Using antonyms for "bear the cost" can help one explore different attitudes towards money and responsibility.