barn burner

noun

: one that arouses much interest or excitement
the game should be a real barn burner

Examples of barn burner in a Sentence

The game should be a real barn burner.
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.
Still, through only four games, this year’s final is on pace to be the worst in terms of GSAx, with only the 2010 barn burner between Chicago and Philadelphia below it. Jesse Granger, New York Times, 11 June 2026 That was a bit more of a barn burner than the others. Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 27 May 2026 Derby champ Golden Tempo will skip Preakness The 152nd Kentucky Derby was a barn burner: Golden Tempo, a long shot and running well behind into the final stretch, overtook the pack in a burst to take the crown. Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 9 May 2026 Where Game 1 was a barn burner, filled with physicality and drama that ended on a game-winning goal by Jincy Roese. Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for barn burner

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barn burner was in 1951

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barn burner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barn%20burner. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster