barrelful

noun

bar·​rel·​ful ˈber-əl-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce barrelful (audio)
ˈba-rəl-
plural barrelfuls ˈber-əl-ˌfu̇lz How to pronounce barrelful (audio)
ˈba-rəl-
or barrelsful ˈber-əlz-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce barrelful (audio)
ˈba-rəlz-
1
: as much or as many as a barrel will hold
2
: a large number or amount
a barrelful of laughs

Examples of barrelful in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At issue is a barrelful of leftover spending bills totaling more than $1 trillion, as well as the $33 billion Trump requested in emergency money for the Pentagon and border security. Andrew Taylor, Orange County Register, 8 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barrelful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barrelful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near barrelful

Cite this Entry

“Barrelful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrelful. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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