barricade

1 of 2

verb

bar·​ri·​cade ˈber-ə-ˌkād 

ˈba-rə-;

ˌber-ə-ˈkād, 

ˌba-rə-

barricaded; barricading

transitive verb

1

: to block off or stop up with a barricade

barricade a street

2

: to prevent access to by means of a barricade

barricade

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an obstruction or rampart thrown up across a way or passage to check the advance of the enemy

b

: barrier sense 1a

2

: barrier sense 3, obstacle

3

barricades plural : a field of combat or dispute

Synonyms of barricade

Verb

• guard

Noun

• fence
• barrier
• wall

Examples of barricade in a Sentence

Verb

The police barricaded the crime scene.

the city barricaded the flooded streets to through traffic

Noun

The enemy broke through the barricade.

Police erected barricades to keep the crowds from approaching the crime scene.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The cacophony of gunfire that hit the three victims and shattered a glass railing overlooking the ground floor sent hundreds of shoppers fleeing into nearby stores, squeezing into tiny storage rooms and barricading themselves with cardboard boxes full of merchandise. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

Police exchanged gunfire with a suspect barricaded inside a home in Stamford, Connecticut, on Tuesday. —Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 2 Dec. 2025

Noun

One protester was seen shoving a finger in an agent's face, standing behind a steel barricade. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 2025

Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Middle French, noun derivative of barricade barricade entry 2

Noun

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French, from barrique "barrel," a typical component of barricades (borrowed from Gascon barriqua, probably going back to pre-Latin *barrīca) + -ade -ade

First Known Use

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing barricade

• barricade oneself

Rhymes for barricade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed
• escapade

Kids Definition

barricade

1 of 2 verb

bar·​ri·​cade ˈbar-ə-ˌkād 

ˌbar-ə-ˈkād

barricaded; barricading

: to block off with a barricade

barricade

2 of 2 noun

: a barrier usually made in a hurry for protection against attack or for blocking the way