: a dam placed in a watercourse to increase the depth of water or to divert it into a channel for navigation or irrigation
1
military
: artillery fire laid on a line (see line entry 1 sense 6c) close to friendly troops to screen and protect them
The enemy laid down a barrage of machine-gun fire as our platoon approached the bridge.
2
: a vigorous or rapid outpouring or projection of many things at once
a barrage of phone calls
unleashed a barrage of insults
an oratorical barrage
barraged; barraging
: to deliver a barrage (see barrage entry 2) against
were barraged with bullets
being barraged by campaign ads before the election
Examples of barrage in a Sentence
Noun (2)
the teacher's rapid-fire barrage of homework assignments went by too fast for me to write them all down
Verb
the star athlete was barraged with requests for an autograph
Recent Examples on the Web
Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
That barrage prompted further salvos that led to the downing of Indian fighter jets (according to Pakistani and international media) and Pakistani jets (according to Indian media).
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 23 May 2025
Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
The update comes as Russia continues to barrage Ukraine with missile strikes three years into its full-scale invasion.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barrage
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Noun
In September 1967, his unit was in the Con Thien area when they were bombarded by heavy enemy artillery and a rocket barrage.
—Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
That barrage prompted further salvos that led to the downing of Indian fighter jets (according to Pakistani and international media) and Pakistani jets (according to Indian media).
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 23 May 2025
Verb
Bellier-Beaumont pleaded for leniency, barraging the legal authorities with letters defending Edmond’s character.
—Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
The update comes as Russia continues to barrage Ukraine with missile strikes three years into its full-scale invasion.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barrage
Cite this Entry
“Barrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrage. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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