barrier reef

noun

: a coral reef roughly parallel to a shore and separated from it usually by a lagoon

Examples of barrier reef in a Sentence

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.
Despite most of the terrain being endless shades of green, I was stunned to find the Calibishie Red Rocks on a barrier reef, an area filled with nooks of sea caves and crannies where waves crash high into the sky. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2025 Rent a car at the airport, make Long Bay your base, and explore all corners of the island—the low coastal cliffs of Cooper Jack Bay, the world’s third-largest barrier reef and, of course, Da Conch Shack on the North Shore for the best sea-to-table conch fritters. Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025 Florida’s Coral Reef is the third-largest barrier reef system in the world and the only living coral barrier reef in the continental U.S. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025 Rock House is a luxury resort boasting turquoise water and a white sand beach, surrounded by one of the world’s largest barrier reefs that wraps around the archipelago. Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for barrier reef

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barrier reef was in 1805

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Cite this Entry

“Barrier reef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrier%20reef. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

barrier reef

noun
: a coral reef roughly parallel to a shore and separated from it by a lagoon

More from Merriam-Webster on barrier reef

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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