bartered; bartering; barters
: to trade by exchanging one commodity for another : to trade goods or services in exchange for other goods or services
farmers bartering for supplies with their crops
bartered with the store's owner
: to trade or exchange by or as if by bartering
bartering work for food
Examples of barter in a Sentence
Noun
The tribes use a system of barter.
The explorers used blankets and other supplies for barter to get food from the native people.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Herbst, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2025
But while metal coins were more convenient than bartering, they were limited by the ability to mine precious metals.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025
Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
The massive influx of precious metal helped transform the Chinese economy from a nonmonetary economy based on feudal obligations and barter trade into a monetized economy based on market exchange.
—Salvatore Babones, Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2015
See All Example Sentences for barter
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Verb
Our community’s green space has been treated as expendable, bartered away for the benefit of an outside sports franchise.
—John Herbst, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2025
But while metal coins were more convenient than bartering, they were limited by the ability to mine precious metals.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025
Noun
She was known to barter paintings for medical bills, home repairs and tobacco.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
The massive influx of precious metal helped transform the Chinese economy from a nonmonetary economy based on feudal obligations and barter trade into a monetized economy based on market exchange.
—Salvatore Babones, Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2015
See All Example Sentences for barter
Cite this Entry
“Barter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barter. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barter
2 of 2 noun
: the exchange of goods without the use of money
Legal Definition
barter
2 of 2 noun
: the art or practice of carrying on trade or exchange by or as if by bartering : exchange of one commodity or service for another compare sale
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