barrier island
noun
: a long broad sandy island lying parallel to a shore that is built up by the action of waves, currents, and winds and that protects the shore from the effects of the ocean
Examples of barrier island in a Sentence
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Outer Banks National Scenic Byway North Carolina Distance: 137 miles
Start: Nags Head
End: Beaufort
Off the coast of North Carolina is a 200-mile string of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks.
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Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 17 June 2025
Big Hickory Island Accessible only by ferry from the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, this low-key private barrier island near Bonita Springs is pure, unspoiled Gulf beauty reserved just for resort guests.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
This is the dramatic finale of the 1,175-mile long Mountains to Sea Trail, which begins in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ends at the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands along the coast of North Carolina.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 30 May 2025
Shackleford Banks is a barrier island on the coast of North Carolina, about a 150-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
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Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 17 June 2025
Big Hickory Island Accessible only by ferry from the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, this low-key private barrier island near Bonita Springs is pure, unspoiled Gulf beauty reserved just for resort guests.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
This is the dramatic finale of the 1,175-mile long Mountains to Sea Trail, which begins in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ends at the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands along the coast of North Carolina.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 30 May 2025
Shackleford Banks is a barrier island on the coast of North Carolina, about a 150-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for barrier island
Cite this Entry
“Barrier island.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrier%20island. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.
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