1
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
if tobacco fields aren't allowed to lie idle once every few years, they will become barren
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring
the pear tree appears to be barren
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
that line of investigation proved barren, so the police tried other avenues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected
their proposal for revitalizing the downtown business district is utterly barren of useful ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in desert
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
lived out in the barrens where it was impossible to grow anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barren
Literary Hub, 27 Mar. 2026
Leeds actually had three shots extra in their more recent barren spell, 72 to 69, but the average quality of those shooting opportunities was lower.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
On the drive out, the streets of New Orleans were barren.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
But recreational hikes still turn into instructional moments for Krebs, who stands maybe 5 feet 3 inches and could make a living off 100 barren miles of lava rock and lizards.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barren
Adjective
My man had already served twenty-six barren years.
—Literary Hub, 27 Mar. 2026
Leeds actually had three shots extra in their more recent barren spell, 72 to 69, but the average quality of those shooting opportunities was lower.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
On the drive out, the streets of New Orleans were barren.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
But recreational hikes still turn into instructional moments for Krebs, who stands maybe 5 feet 3 inches and could make a living off 100 barren miles of lava rock and lizards.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barren
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barren
Adjective
-
The field, a desolate oil patch, will eventually be the central location for what became known as the Texas Killing Fields.—
John Wayne Ferguson,
Houston Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Miller and Cook were two of four young women whose bodies were found between 1984 and 1991 in a rural field off a desolate dirt road in League City, located about 28 miles (45 kilometers) southeast of Houston.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Originally sterile, the Bradford pear began producing fertile fruit after cross-pollination with other pear cultivars.—
Campbell Vaughn,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Eye drops that aren’t sterile could pose an infection risk; so far, there have been no reports of injuries or illness related to the current recall.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Attempts to get a comment from the district office were unsuccessful.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Corrections staff attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful, according to the MDOC.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
As well as acting as a bulwark against the desert’s encroachment, the greenery is intended to improve agricultural conditions and reduce political unrest in the area, and will act as a carbon sink, Gizmodo reported.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Previously, Cassidy worked for the Arizona Republic covering Phoenix police, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and desert-area crime and mayhem.—
Megan Cassidy,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Cities like Chicago — long a haven for Mexican immigrants with ties to families and a community — became landing spots for migrants from increasingly impoverished and authoritarian places such as Venezuela.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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And because of their status, undocumented students are also more likely to come from impoverished backgrounds, says Caitlin Patler, a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley.—
Jonaki Mehta,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But past attempts to achieve similar solutions proved futile.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.—
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This Promotion is void outside the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and where prohibited.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fort Worth and Aledo are asking the court to void Willow Park’s annexations of the Beall property and the Bankhead Highway right-of-way, as well as void Willow Park’s new city limits map.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barren.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barren. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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