bark

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈbärk 

barked; barking; barks

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make the characteristic short loud cry of a dog

b

: to make a noise resembling a bark

2

: to speak in a curt loud and usually angry tone : snap

3

informal : to produce a usually sharp, sudden pain

… with his mustache turning gray and his body barking back in pain …

—Joseph A. Reaves

The shoulder is pain-free for now, but his elbow barks at him occasionally …

—Mike Lupica

transitive verb

1

: to utter in a curt loud usually angry tone

an officer barking orders

2

: to advertise by persistent outcry

barking their wares

see also:

bark up the wrong tree

bark

2 of 3

verb (2)

barked; barking; barks

transitive verb

1

: to treat with an infusion of tanbark

2

a

: to strip the bark from

b

: to rub off or abrade the skin of

barked a shin on the desk

barking mad

3 of 3

adjective

variants or barking

ˈbär-kiŋ 

chiefly British, informal

: not mentally sound : exhibiting a severely disordered state of mind

… an eccentric personality that verged on barking mad …

—Mitchell Owens

"Another one who thinks you're barking," said Ron, throwing a crumpled letter over his shoulder …

—J. K. Rowling

Synonyms of bark

Verb (1)

• snarl
• shout
• yell
• scream
• growl
• snap

Verb (2)

• peel

Examples of bark in a Sentence

Verb (1)

the new supervisor found that speaking to people with a civil tongue got better results than barking at them

Verb (2)

barking a tree will probably kill it

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Command and control → Collaborate to find success The era of the all-knowing boss barking orders from on high is over. —Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Swaggering and barking commands like a boy came so naturally that being her real female self began to feel like the more challenging role. —Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Adjective

Even in the quietest mode with valving closed down, the engine and exhaust and supercharger whine go barking mad with the lightest blip of throttle, making the temptation to heel-toe through every downshift almost inescapable. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

Price at time of publish: $14.99 Himalayan Pet Supply Best Friend's Advent Calendar Dog Treats The dog-lover in your life will go barking mad for this exquisite set of all-natural treats made for furry friends. —Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English berken, from Old English beorcan; akin to Old Norse berkja to bark, Lithuanian burgėti to growl

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1927, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bark

• bark beetle
• bark up the wrong tree
• elm bark beetle
• smaller European elm bark beetle
• someone's bark is worse than his/her bite
• someone's bark is worse than their bite

Rhymes for bark

• arc
• ark
• barque
• dark
• hark
• lark
• marc
• mark
• marque
• narc
• quark
• shark

Kids Definition

bark

1 of 5 verb

ˈbärk 

1

: to make the short loud cry of a dog or a similar noise

2

: to shout or speak sharply

bark out an order

bark

2 of 5 noun

: the sound made by a barking dog

bark

3 of 5 noun

: the tough covering of a woody root or stem

bark

4 of 5 verb

1

: to strip the bark from

2

: to rub or scrape the skin of

barked her knee

bark

5 of 5 noun

variants or barque

1

: a small sailing ship

2

: a three-masted ship with the first two masts square-rigged and the last fore-and-aft rigged

Etymology

Verb

Old English beorcan "to bark"

Noun

Middle English bark "tree covering," of Scandinavian origin

Noun

Middle English bark "a small ship," from early French barque (same meaning)

Medical Definition

bark

noun

ˈbärk 

1

: the tough exterior covering of a woody root or stem

2

: cinchona sense 3