barrack

1 of 3

noun

bar·​rack ˈber-ək 

-ik;

ˈba-rək,

-rik

1

: a building or set of buildings used especially for lodging soldiers in garrison

—usually used in plural

2

a

: a structure resembling a shed or barn that provides temporary housing

—usually used in plural

b

: housing characterized by extreme plainness or dreary uniformity

—usually used in plural

barrack

2 of 3

verb (1)

barracked; barracking; barracks

transitive verb

: to lodge in barracks

barrack

3 of 3

verb (2)

barracked; barracking; barracks

transitive verb

chiefly British

: to shout at derisively or sarcastically

intransitive verb

1

chiefly Australia : root, cheer

—usually used with for

2

chiefly British : jeer, scoff

barracker noun

Examples of barrack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Williams had spent the night before with a small army of women getting together toiletries and basic necessities to hand out as the evacuees were shuttled by bus to the barracks. —Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025

Durbin, Duckworth and Schneider were told by Navy officials that DHS will have office space but will not have barracks for people taken into ICE custody and that agents stationed at the base will not be able to sleep there. —Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025

Verb

Villa’s supporters revelled in his struggles as the game went on, booing and barracking. —Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025

Simone studied Sanskrit, did social outreach with Indo-Chinese factory workers barracked in a prison, and joined a Resistance network. —Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French baraque hut, from Catalan barraca

Verb (2)

perhaps from dialect (northern Ireland) barrack to brag

First Known Use

Noun

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb (1)

1701, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1885, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for barrack

• amharic
• barbaric
• pindaric
• isobaric