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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 barrier Residents looking to floodproof their property with temporary barriers, instead of permanent panels, are very often given the green light. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Soaring output in China has pushed Europe and the US to throw up trade barriers, though those could prove ineffective. — semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Although a small number of peptide medicines are already available as pills, most candidates still face formidable barriers to oral delivery. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 This is all without compromising the skin barrier, and offering a massaging action that enhances relaxation and turns a functional step into a spa-like treatment as a small wellness ritual. — Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for barrier

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barrier

Noun

The Kool-Aid man never comes crashing through the wall; there’s no cameo from Big Red’s kissing couple.

— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
The bottom of the walls was damaged; these surfaces are not smooth and easily cleanable.

— NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of wall

Noun

North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other fortifications to what’s already one of the world’s most heavily armed borders as Kim Jong Un pushes a hard line toward Seoul.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
The fences that separate the dry fields and the doors that allow you through them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of fence

Noun

Icy weather, snowstorms, obstructive foliage and rugged terrain along the wild Rockies were just some of the obstacles Ben Nickell and Anne Koski faced on a 10-year journey to climb the highest point in each of Idaho’s 44 counties.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026