barnstorm

verb

barn·​storm ˈbärn-ˌstȯrm How to pronounce barnstorm (audio)
barnstormed; barnstorming; barnstorms
Synonyms of barnstormnext

intransitive verb

1
: to tour through rural districts staging usually theatrical performances
2
: to travel from place to place making brief stops (as in a political campaign or a promotional tour)
3
: to pilot one's airplane in sightseeing flights with passengers or in exhibition stunts in an unscheduled course especially in rural districts

transitive verb

: to travel across while barnstorming
barnstormer noun

Examples of barnstorm in a Sentence

He spent the months leading up to the election barnstorming around the country. The national soccer team barnstormed through the country.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The baseball player, entertainer and social media personality rose to fame with the exhibition barnstorming baseball team, which puts on dance routines, comedy sketches and more. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, Talarico is barnstorming the state, slamming Republicans mostly on kitchen table issues like stubborn inflation and the price of gas that has skyrocketed due to Trump’s war with Iran. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 DeSantis responded by offering to pay for Jeffries to come campaign in Florida, arguing that having the Democratic leader barnstorm the state would only help Republicans. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026 In the meantime, his rival, Republican Steve Hilton is barnstorming the state with a steady stream of events and media appearances, attempting to gin up attention for a campaign that early polls show faces a difficult climb to viability. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for barnstorm

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barnstorm was in 1883

Rhymes for barnstorm

See All Rhymes for barnstorm

Browse Nearby Words

Barnstable
barnstorm
barn swallow
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barnstorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barnstorm. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

barnstorm

verb
barn·​storm ˈbärn-ˌstȯrm How to pronounce barnstorm (audio)
: to travel through the country making brief stops to entertain (as with shows or flying stunts) or to campaign for political office
barnstormer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on barnstorm

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for barnstorm

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