barren

1 of 2

adjective

bar·​ren ˈber-ən How to pronounce barren (audio)
ˈba-rən
1
: not reproducing: such as
a
: incapable of producing offspring
used especially of females or matings
barren women
b
: not yet or not recently pregnant
c
of plants : habitually failing to fruit
barren apple trees
2
: not productive: such as
a
: producing little or no vegetation : desolate
barren deserts
b
: producing inferior crops
barren soil
c
: unproductive of results or gain : fruitless
a barren scheme
3
: devoid, lacking
used with of
barren of excitement
4
: lacking interest or charm
a barren routine
5
: lacking inspiration or ideas
a barren mind
barrenly adverb
barrenness
ˈber-ə(n)-nəs How to pronounce barren (audio)
ˈba-rə(n)-
noun

barren

2 of 2

noun

1
barrens plural, geography : an extent of usually level land having an inferior growth of trees or little vegetation
2
: a tract of barren land
Choose the Right Synonym for barren

bare, naked, nude, bald, barren mean deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering.

bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children

nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure.

a nude model posing for art students

bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

Examples of barren in a Sentence

Adjective Few creatures can thrive on these barren mountaintops. The book was good, but I found the barren lives of the characters depressing. Noun lived out in the barrens where it was impossible to grow anything
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The Giants have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray as their 1-2 punch, but the starting pitching is barren behind them. Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025 Piazzale Angelo Moratti will no longer appear like a vast docking station for a bleeping spaceship on a barren planet, serviced only by rickety trams and a purple metro line. James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 The now-barren landscape is vulnerable to severe erosion and sudden, life-threatening flash flooding. Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025 Together with progress made in other areas, such as finding ways of making Mars warm enough to sustain liquid water, restoring barren environments on Earth could be a key to one day living on Mars. Chris Impey, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barren

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English bareine, from Anglo-French barain, perhaps of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Welsh brynar fallow land

Noun

noun derivative of barren entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barren was in the 13th century

Cite this Entry

“Barren.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barren. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

barren

1 of 2 adjective
bar·​ren ˈbar-ən How to pronounce barren (audio)
1
a
: not able to produce offspring
used especially of females
b
: usually failing to fruit
barren apple trees
2
a
: producing inferior or little to no vegetation
barren soils
b
: not producing results or gain
a barren plan
barrenly adverb
barrenness noun

barren

2 of 2 noun
: a tract of barren land

Medical Definition

barren

adjective
bar·​ren ˈbar-ən How to pronounce barren (audio)
: incapable of producing offspring
used especially of females or matings
barrenness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on barren

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