BARRIER Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

barrier

noun

ˈber-ē-ər

Definition of barrier

as in wall

a physical object that blocks the way there was a big barrier plastered with signs saying "Keep Out" around the trash compactor

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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 barrier Many also experience spikes in cortisol, which can make hair and skin thinner, and impair the gut barrier. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026 These are just a few of the financial barriers that deter applicants and lead as many as one-quarter of the nation’s aspiring physicians to reconsider enrollment or to switch to nonclinical career paths. — Marj Halperin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Most obvious, Black candidates for elite jobs, grants, and prizes, who had previously faced many barriers, were benefiting, in various institutions and workplaces, from a new kind of favoritism. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 The formula is designed to eliminate these cells and improve the skin barrier, leading to a healthier, smoother appearance in 12 weeks, according to the brand’s clinical studies. — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for barrier

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barrier

Noun

Values on a wall ask people to interpret abstractions, while stories carry judgment and understanding inside them.

— Bryan Adams, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
While the tents have the most charm, imo—ivory canvas walls, Adirondack chairs on wooden porches, true beds with sheepskin throws and wooden frames—the cabins and suites are unsurprisingly the more comfortable option.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of wall

Noun

Wednesday, three people appeared to hop the fence on the south side of the property, slide down the dirt and step into the house.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
However, in the fourth, Jensen sent another Perez pitch over the right field fence for a 6-3 advantage.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of fence

Noun

After marching from Crocker Park in downtown Sacramento, the protest groups engaged in verbal and physical altercations across a barricade formed by law enforcement officers.

— Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
In another affidavit, Ernani Bernardi, who represented Panorama City on the City Council, described how authorities had put up a barricade blocking an entrance to Blythe Street.

— Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of barricade

Noun

Both benefit from improved navigation, apparently able to avoid cables and other obstacles as small as 2mm in size, as well as transparent objects like mirrors or glass.

— Dominic Preston, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2026
The 340-pound ball is just soft enough to bounce lightly over bumpy obstacles, but its slight overpressure keeps it relatively firm.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026