1
: having barbs
2
: characterized by pointed and biting criticism or sarcasm
barbed witticisms
Examples of barbed in a Sentence
The candidates exchanged barbed comments during the debate.
barbed satire on American academia
Recent Examples on the Web
Watch this just for all the quick lands and barbed moments here alone.
—
Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, a story from Indiana explains how one bird species skewers its prey on barbed wire, then returns for it later.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
There are no spools of barbed wire atop its fences or looming guard towers to announce its purpose.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
The pair have traded many barbed comments since Khan was elected to lead London in 2016 — Khan strongly criticized the president the same year for pledging a travel ban on a number of majority-Muslim countries, which was enacted in 2017.
—Patrick Smith, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbed
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, a story from Indiana explains how one bird species skewers its prey on barbed wire, then returns for it later.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
There are no spools of barbed wire atop its fences or looming guard towers to announce its purpose.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
The pair have traded many barbed comments since Khan was elected to lead London in 2016 — Khan strongly criticized the president the same year for pledging a travel ban on a number of majority-Muslim countries, which was enacted in 2017.
—Patrick Smith, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbed
Cite this Entry
“Barbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbed. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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