often attributive
1
archaic
: a means of protection : defense
2
a
: a barrier intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary
especially
: such a barrier made of posts and wire or boards
b
: an immaterial barrier or boundary line
on the other side of the fence in the argument
3
4
a
: a receiver of stolen goods
b
: a place where stolen goods are bought
fencelessness
noun
fenced; fencing
1
a
: to enclose with a fence
b(1)
: to keep in or out with a fence
(2)
: to ward off
2
: to provide a defense for
3
: to sell (stolen property) to a fence
1
a
: to practice fencing
b(1)
: to use tactics of attack and defense resembling those of fencing
(2)
: to parry arguments by shifting ground
2
archaic
: to provide protection
fencer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of fence in a Sentence
Noun
We put up a fence around our yard.
the only way to prevent motorists from trying to use that unsafe bridge is to put a fence across the road leading to it
Verb
a house with a fenced-in yard
He stole watches and fenced them on the street.
Recent Examples on the Web
Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2024
Those fences then sell them to legitimate resale sites, where Hermès lovers snap them up for relative bargain prices as low as $15,000 a bag.
—Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024
That got Rachel, 19, a Columbia student who asked to be identified only by her first name because of fear of retaliation or suspension by the school, off the fence and into one of the tents that pro-Palestinian demonstrators had raised on the campus in upper Manhattan.
—Isa Farfan, NBC News, 25 Apr. 2024
The longer divestment period also seemed to get some lawmakers who were on the fence on board.
—Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 24 Apr. 2024
Stronger fences will be built and monitoring enhanced.
—Lars Paulsson, Fortune Europe, 24 Apr. 2024
Someone cut a fence and wandered the property, causing approximately $1,000 in damage.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
After yelling out, the person drops the cub and the animal is seen running along a fence as the person chases after it.
—Clare Marie Schneider, NPR, 20 Apr. 2024
Under the new rule, hundreds of chemical plants will have to install monitoring for six hazardous chemicals at the fence line and share their data publicly online.
—Ava Kofman, ProPublica, 16 Apr. 2024
Sufian Taha, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The property was fenced off, and authorities continued to scour a 2-mile radius for debris, officials said.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
Highlights include a stylish living room displaying an oversized wood-burning brick fireplace with a floating hearth, plus sliding glass doors spilling out to a fenced wraparound deck overlooking the Pacific.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
In addition to her Olympic medals, Ms. Camber won a world fencing championship in Brussels in 1953 and a team world championship in Paris in 1957, according to the European Fencing Confederation.
—Emily Langer, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
William Workman installed a cemetery east of the family house in the present City of Industry, walled it in brick and fenced it in iron rails.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
The fire department also planned to put up fencing around the building.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 21 Feb. 2024
Nearly three decades have passed since the Miami Heat pitched voters a waterfront park on Biscayne Bay, only to fence in the public land year after year when the team uses it for parking spaces.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2024
Illusion and safety If your garden is fenced or walled and seems small, frame it to create a doorway with 1-by-4 lumber and paint.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
Noun
After a walk to Abrams, Winker slugged a 2-1 hanging curveball over the fence in right.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2024
Those fences then sell them to legitimate resale sites, where Hermès lovers snap them up for relative bargain prices as low as $15,000 a bag.
—Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024
That got Rachel, 19, a Columbia student who asked to be identified only by her first name because of fear of retaliation or suspension by the school, off the fence and into one of the tents that pro-Palestinian demonstrators had raised on the campus in upper Manhattan.
—Isa Farfan, NBC News, 25 Apr. 2024
The longer divestment period also seemed to get some lawmakers who were on the fence on board.
—Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 24 Apr. 2024
Stronger fences will be built and monitoring enhanced.
—Lars Paulsson, Fortune Europe, 24 Apr. 2024
Someone cut a fence and wandered the property, causing approximately $1,000 in damage.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
After yelling out, the person drops the cub and the animal is seen running along a fence as the person chases after it.
—Clare Marie Schneider, NPR, 20 Apr. 2024
Under the new rule, hundreds of chemical plants will have to install monitoring for six hazardous chemicals at the fence line and share their data publicly online.
—Ava Kofman, ProPublica, 16 Apr. 2024
Verb
At the end of the road stands the barrier wall that fences off the refugee camp, and behind it, a concrete Israeli watchtower.
—Sufian Taha, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The property was fenced off, and authorities continued to scour a 2-mile radius for debris, officials said.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
Highlights include a stylish living room displaying an oversized wood-burning brick fireplace with a floating hearth, plus sliding glass doors spilling out to a fenced wraparound deck overlooking the Pacific.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
In addition to her Olympic medals, Ms. Camber won a world fencing championship in Brussels in 1953 and a team world championship in Paris in 1957, according to the European Fencing Confederation.
—Emily Langer, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
William Workman installed a cemetery east of the family house in the present City of Industry, walled it in brick and fenced it in iron rails.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
The fire department also planned to put up fencing around the building.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 21 Feb. 2024
Nearly three decades have passed since the Miami Heat pitched voters a waterfront park on Biscayne Bay, only to fence in the public land year after year when the team uses it for parking spaces.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2024
Illusion and safety If your garden is fenced or walled and seems small, frame it to create a doorway with 1-by-4 lumber and paint.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fence
Cite this Entry
“Fence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fence. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fence
2 of 2 verb
fenced; fencing
1
a
: to enclose with a fence
b
: to keep in or out with a fence
2
: to practice fencing
3
: to sell (stolen property) to a fence
fencer
noun
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