barrier

noun bar·ri·er \ ˈber-ē-ər , ˈba-rē- \

Definition of barrier

1 a : something material that blocks or is intended to block passage

highway barriers

a barrier contraceptive

b : a natural formation or structure that prevents or hinders movement or action

geographic barriers to species dissemination

barrier beaches

drugs that cross the placental barrier

2 barriers or Barriers plural : a medieval war game in which combatants fight on foot with a fence or railing between them

3 : something immaterial that impedes or separates : obstacle

behavioral barriers

trade barriers

See barrier defined for English-language learners

See barrier defined for kids

Examples of barrier in a Sentence

Concrete barriers surround the race track to protect spectators.
The tree's roots serve as a barrier against soil erosion.
The mountain range forms a natural barrier between the two countries.
Both leaders are in favor of removing trade barriers.
Cultural barriers have made it hard for women to enter many professions.
He argues that regulations should not be viewed as barriers to progress.

Recent Examples of barrier from the Web

After hacking their way through a sheet metal barrier, Sgt.

— sig christenson, San Antonio Express-News, "Medics compete at Camp Bullis, suburban but still realistic," 2 Nov. 2017
Clouding Investment The Federation of Small Businesses weighed in on Monday with demands for Hammond to budget for improvements to digital and road connectivity while removing barriers for small house builders.

— alex morales, Bloomberg.com, "May's Brussels Gains Eclipsed by Domestic Challenge on Brexit," 22 Oct. 2017
Spending years breaking barriers in the Air Force also prepared me to navigate the current vitriolic and violent political environment.

— martha mcsally, Cosmopolitan, "When Someone Says, “It’s Not a Woman’s Job,” Prove Them Wrong," 10 Oct. 2017
Bellina hopes that removing barriers for drugmakers to make their products available to people like him will eventually help the quest for a cure.

— michelle fay cortez, chicagotribune.com, "Navy officer fights for right to try unproven drugs before dying," 6 Oct. 2017
Portraying what was ostensibly a typical party at Hefner’s home, the initial program helped break down racial barriers on TV by featuring African American entertainers sticking around to socialize following their performance, a rarity at the time.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Playboy Founder Hugh Hefner Dead at 91," 27 Sep. 2017
This isn't the first time a woman in the military broke barriers, though.

— megan friedman, Popular Mechanics, "The First Female Marine Has Passed the Notoriously Tough Infantry Officer Course," 26 Sep. 2017
Remove the barriers to finding a treatment provider who accepts their insurance, treats their particular addiction and actually has room.

— matthew glowicki, The Courier-Journal, "A desperate meth addict, a compassionate cop and the Angel Program that changed their lives," 21 Sep. 2017
The barriers were installed on three bridges: Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth.

— karla adam, Washington Post, "In Europe, Manhattan attack underscores challenges to balance security and city life," 1 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'barrier.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of barrier

Middle English barrere, from Anglo-French, from barre bar

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

barrier Synonyms

BARRIER Defined for English Language Learners

barrier

noun

Definition of barrier for English Language Learners

: something (such as a fence or natural obstacle) that prevents or blocks movement from one place to another
: a law, rule, problem, etc., that makes something difficult or impossible
: something that makes it difficult for people to understand each other