barrage

1 of 3

noun (1)

bar·​rage ˈbär-ij 

: a dam placed in a watercourse to increase the depth of water or to divert it into a channel for navigation or irrigation

barrage

2 of 3

noun (2)

bar·​rage bə-ˈräzh  -ˈräj 

1

military : artillery fire laid on a line (see line entry 1 sense 6c) close to friendly troops to screen and protect them

The enemy laid down a barrage of machine-gun fire as our platoon approached the bridge.

2

: a vigorous or rapid outpouring or projection of many things at once

a barrage of phone calls

unleashed a barrage of insults

an oratorical barrage

barrage

3 of 3

verb

bar·​rage bə-ˈräzh  -ˈräj 

barraged; barraging

transitive verb

: to deliver a barrage (see barrage entry 2) against

were barraged with bullets

being barraged by campaign ads before the election

Synonyms of barrage

Noun (2)

• flurry
• bombardment
• volley
• hail
• flood
• torrent

Verb

• flood
• bombard
• bomb
• question

Examples of barrage in a Sentence

Noun (2)

the teacher's rapid-fire barrage of homework assignments went by too fast for me to write them all down

Verb

the star athlete was barraged with requests for an autograph

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Moldova reports another drone incursion During the aerial barrages, drones have repeatedly strayed into neighboring countries, unnerving leaders who are wary of Russia and fear being dragged into conflict. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

During the aerial barrages, drones have repeatedly strayed into neighboring countries, unnerving leaders who are wary of Russia and fear being dragged into conflict. — ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026

Verb

But Mark, in Ronson’s telling, quickly grows antagonistic, abruptly asking Ronson to sign an NDA, then later barraging him with suspicious texts and threatening him with a pair of goons. — Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

The Weather Channel radar shows Lake County getting barraged with rain. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French, from barrer to bar, from barre bar

Noun (2)

French (tir de) barrage barrier fire

Verb

verbal derivative of barrage entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1837, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing barrage

• barrage balloon

Rhymes for barrage

• collage
• corsage
• dressage
• garage
• massage
• mirage
• montage
• swaraj
• arbitrage
• camouflage
• entourage
• sabotage

Kids Definition

barrage

noun

bar·​rage

bə-ˈräzh, 

-ˈräj

1

: a barrier formed by continuous artillery or machine-gun fire directed upon a narrow strip of ground

2

: a rapid or furiously active flow (as of speech or writing)