barnstorm

verb

barn·​storm ˈbärn-ˌstȯrm How to pronounce barnstorm (audio)
barnstormed; barnstorming; barnstorms

intransitive verb

1
: to tour through rural districts staging usually theatrical performances
2
: to travel from place to place making brief stops (as in a political campaign or a promotional tour)
3
: to pilot one's airplane in sightseeing flights with passengers or in exhibition stunts in an unscheduled course especially in rural districts

transitive verb

: to travel across while barnstorming
barnstormer noun

Examples of barnstorm in a Sentence

He spent the months leading up to the election barnstorming around the country. The national soccer team barnstormed through the country.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Election 2024 minute Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris barnstormed Michigan on Friday with multiple rallies and campaign events. Amy Huschka, Detroit Free Press, 19 Oct. 2024 Both Harris and Trump have spent the last 36 hours barnstorming Michigan, whose 15 electoral college votes are seen by both campaigns as critical. Phillip Elliott / Detroit, TIME, 19 Oct. 2024 In the previous weeks, the candidates had barnstormed across District 14 in their own version of the Lincoln-Douglas debates — but even more bitter. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2024 Both parties have encouraged voters to cast their votes over the next few weeks so they can be counted immediately, which could mean speedier results in November, and candidates from the top of the ticket are expected to barnstorm the state in the coming days. Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for barnstorm 

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barnstorm was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near barnstorm

Cite this Entry

“Barnstorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barnstorm. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

barnstorm

verb
barn·​storm ˈbärn-ˌstȯrm How to pronounce barnstorm (audio)
: to travel through the country making brief stops to entertain (as with shows or flying stunts) or to campaign for political office
barnstormer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on barnstorm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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