barking 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of bark
as in peeling
to remove the natural covering of barking a tree will probably kill it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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barking

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of bark
as in shouting
to speak sharply or irritably the new supervisor found that speaking to people with a civil tongue got better results than barking at them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of barking
Verb
With the Indiana Fever holding an 81-75 lead during a third-quarter timeout, Cloud began barking toward Freedom, who was seated courtside. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Rather than having dog kennels lined up across from each other like in traditional shelters, the New Leash on Life design will have kennels on one side facing a hallway to reduce barking and stress. — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 She was awakened in the middle of the night by her barking dog and the sound of a woman screaming in the street. — City News Service, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026 While some Boeing planes also use PTUs, the mechanism is different and doesn’t produce the same barking sound. — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026 Instead of barking back, his commander accepted the boundary and deferred the task to the following week. — Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 The health section shows activity, sleep, heart rate, respiratory rate, scratching, and barking. — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 Each day, the women were woken at six, with the sounds of stomping boots and barking dogs. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 As umpires took the field and walked by the Braves' dugout on the third base side, Sale began barking. — ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barking
  1. peeling
  2. shouting
  3. snarling
  4. yelling
  5. screaming
  6. growling
Verb
  • Unlike other cucumbers, their skin is edible, so peeling is not necessary when preparing them.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Common problems include bubbles, trimming errors, poor adhesion from dirty glass, confusion over backing liners and peeling after repositioning.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of peeling
Verb
  • Or perhaps, in this case, at roughly 190 mph with the throttle buried and someone shouting into a radio.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Video showed locals draped in Spanish flags, shouting anti-migrant slogans, and singing Spanish songs, torching the camp and throwing migrants’ belongings in the Mediterranean or into bonfires.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of shouting
Verb
  • Atlanta police said a man was struck and killed on the Downtown Connector near Williams Street, snarling the morning commute for hours.
    — Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The 2012 Olympic gold medalist was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021 after snarling, dunking and driving with full force every play, every night.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of snarling
Verb
  • During the protest, Lander was approached by individuals calling him a Zionist and yelling profanities.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Law enforcement responded to an apartment after receiving calls from neighbors about yelling.
    — Dave Boucher, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of yelling
Verb
  • For now, however, the company that produces Flock cameras is holding off on technology that can register screaming and perhaps even speech.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Harry Styles didn’t need to name-drop Taylor Swift to get his Madison Square Garden crowd screaming.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • As Koji’s character is thrust into a cage at an underground prison brawl, Momoa’s Blanka can be heard growling off screen.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026
  • This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
Definition of growling

Browse Nearby Words

barkeeps
barking
barks
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Cite this Entry

“Barking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barking. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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