iron curtain

noun

Definition of iron curtain

1 : an impenetrable barrier the iron curtain between the ego and the unconscious— C. J. Rolo

2 : a political, military, and ideological barrier that cuts off and isolates an area specifically, often capitalized : one formerly isolating an area under Soviet control

Examples of iron curtain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Joanna pulled open the iron curtain with an album called Red Wave. — Don Maines, Houston Chronicle, "Teen had to choose: Disney trip or key role in ‘Mockingbird’ production," 15 June 2018 The first, Métamorphoses Nocturnes, was composed between 1953-’54 when Hungary was isolated deep behind the iron curtain. — Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader, "A season-long focus on the music of Hungarian composer György Ligeti opens with a performance by the peerless Arditti Quartet," 12 Oct. 2017

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

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The first known use of iron curtain was in 1819

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