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 local Rite Aid was getting ready to shut down, with barren shelves and 75% off all items, while commerce elsewhere in the town of less than 3,000 people wasn’t exactly bustling. David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025 While flying a shuttlecraft, she gets sucked into a wormhole and crashes onto a barren moon. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025 Staring out at the barren fields, more than one exec wondered if this wasn’t a mistake. Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 On a macro scale, that effect has been well-documented by photographers, with aerial shots of waterways clogged with plastic, the scars on barren land from deforestation and countless smokestacks spewing pollution into the air. Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 30 Aug. 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 10 Sep. 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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