as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
delivered one last barb to his ex-girlfriend as he stalked away
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barb
Always check the rules in conservation trout water and be prepared to mash barbs or swap your treble hooks with single hooks to stay compliant.
—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
The tenacious ex–Special Forces vet can be found tracking killers and trading barbs with his partner Jerry (Jamie Hector) in this long-running series drawn from Michael Connelly’s crime novels.
—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
And in his second term, the leaders now openly trade barbs, disagreeing over tariffs, Ukraine and the Iran war.
—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Pledges of a united front fade as the booze flows and the barbs get sharper and sharper.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for barb
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
The tenacious ex–Special Forces vet can be found tracking killers and trading barbs with his partner Jerry (Jamie Hector) in this long-running series drawn from Michael Connelly’s crime novels.
—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
And in his second term, the leaders now openly trade barbs, disagreeing over tariffs, Ukraine and the Iran war.
—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Pledges of a united front fade as the booze flows and the barbs get sharper and sharper.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for barb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barb
Noun
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In recent weeks, Avila Chevalier has been under a microscope for her past tweets, including posts calling for defunding the police and abolishing the border, alongside harsh insults of big-name Democrats such as former Vice President Kamala Harris.
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Michael Lind, the writer and New America co-founder, argues in Commonplace, the magazine of Oren Cass’s American Compass, that a decent wage and a safety net should be enough, and that handing workers a stake in capital insults the dignity of their labor.
Noun
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Meanwhile, sitcoms like Friends marked a movement toward irony in comedy with its trademark tongue-in-cheek banter and sarcasm, Thompson explains.
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That is said without the least bit of sarcasm.
Cite this Entry
“Barb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barb. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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