barrens

plural of barren
as in deserts
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops lived out in the barrens where it was impossible to grow anything

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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 barrens In its place urchin barrens now carpet the seafloor; a spiny, silent landscape stripped of life. — Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026 The forests are marked by sparse conifer stands, woodlands, herbaceous vegetation, and unvegetated barrens that dominate the transition to Arctic tundra. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2026 The population surge caused widespread urchin barrens across the islands. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025 Given the surrounding terrain, largely comprising volcanic barrens and lava fields, the risk of wildfire remains low, and no life-threatening impacts have been identified. — Isabel Van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barrens
deserts
Noun
  • Migratory birds such as the arctic tern and northern wheatear cross oceans, deserts and mountain ranges.
    — Amy L. Scarpignato, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Santa Anas are driven in part by temperature differences between the cool deserts in Utah and Nevada and the warm California coast.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Barrens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barrens. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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