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 person then ran inside the home and barricaded himself, police said. —Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2026

Since the suspect was barricaded in his house with a gun, the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System Emergency Services Team was called in, police said. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026

Noun

Following the shooting, agitators took control of the street where the shooting took place and used makeshift barricades with chairs, trash cans, wood shipping pallets, bicycles and more. —Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026

Protesters gathered on the sidewalk behind barricades across the street from the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills at the corner of 150th Street and 70th Road, some carrying Palestinian flags. —Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026

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