barge

1 of 2

noun

: any of various boats: such as
a
: a roomy usually flat-bottomed boat used chiefly for the transport of goods on inland waterways and usually propelled by towing
b
: a large motorboat supplied to the flag officer of a flagship
c
: a roomy pleasure boat
especially : a boat of state elegantly furnished and decorated

barge

2 of 2

verb

barged; barging

transitive verb

: to carry by barge

intransitive verb

1
: to move ponderously or clumsily
2
: to thrust oneself heedlessly or unceremoniously
barged into the meeting

Examples of barge in a Sentence

Verb He came rushing down the stairs, barging into the crowd of people at the bottom. She barged through the door without even knocking.
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.
Noun
Other soybeans continue their journey to global markets, moving through the heartland by rail or barge to ports, then across oceans. Gary McGuigan, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 Federal officials are preparing to begin work on a new $400 million harbor that could accommodate Coast Guard icebreakers, cargo barges and Navy warships, along with cruise ships to carry tourists north of the Arctic Circle. Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Earlier in the day, Dexter did try to talk to Vinny sans violence, but being seen barging into the landlord’s office a few hours before his disappearance is only going to reflect poorly on Dex in the event of a police investigation. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025 Her baby's father answered the door with his eyes bugging out, and Frierson barged in to find two other guys, needles, spoons and powder on the table. Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barge

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin barca

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1649, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of barge was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barge. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

barge

1 of 2 noun
: a broad flat-bottomed boat that is usually towed and used chiefly to transport goods in harbors and on rivers and canals

barge

2 of 2 verb
barged; barging
1
: to carry by barge
2
: to move or push oneself clumsily or rudely
barged right in

More from Merriam-Webster on barge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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