barrack

1 of 4

noun (1)

bar·​rack ˈber-ək 

-ik;

ˈba-rək, 

-rik

1

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

—usually plural

2

a

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

—usually plural

b

: housing characterized by extreme plainness or dreary uniformity

—usually plural

barrack

2 of 4

verb (1)

barracked; barracking; barracks

transitive verb

: to lodge in barracks

barrack

3 of 4

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

barracker

4 of 4

noun (2)

bar·​rack·​er

ˈber-ə-kər, 

-i-;

ˈba-rə-kər, 

-ri-

plural -s

chiefly Australia

: one that barracks : a noisy partisan

Examples of barrack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Refugee groups said military barracks aren’t the right place to house asylum seekers, but cautioned that migrants should not be made scapegoats. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Sources say that in August, a trooper who was working there for the summer allowed a male friend to spend the night at the barracks. — Cheryl Fiandaca, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

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 (1)

French baraque hut, from Catalan barraca

Verb (2)

perhaps from dialect (northern Ireland) barrack to brag

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

• arrack
• barbaric
• pindaric
• isobaric