1
: having barbs
2
: characterized by pointed and biting criticism or sarcasm
barbed witticisms
Synonyms
Examples of barbed in a Sentence
The candidates exchanged barbed comments during the debate.
barbed satire on American academia
Recent Examples on the Web
At Sing Sing Correctional Facility, in Ossining, New York, a spotlight shines down not on a yard lined with barbed wire but on a stage bathed in radiant blue.
—
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 July 2024
But Martin’s style is not always gentle: Other ingredients include barbed wire and a model handgun cast in pewter.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
At least five passages near Panama’s border with Colombia have been shut using barbed wire installed by the country’s border agency (Senafront).
—Abel Alvarado, CNN, 11 July 2024
Others have hopped fences or cut the barbed wire to access the monolith.
—Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for barbed 
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 July 2024
But Martin’s style is not always gentle: Other ingredients include barbed wire and a model handgun cast in pewter.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
At least five passages near Panama’s border with Colombia have been shut using barbed wire installed by the country’s border agency (Senafront).
—Abel Alvarado, CNN, 11 July 2024
Others have hopped fences or cut the barbed wire to access the monolith.
—Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for barbed
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barbed.' 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 barbed
Cite this Entry
“Barbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbed. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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