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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Recent Examples of barb
That Hedda has forged such a life for herself is a testament to her wiles — no one is more adept at delivering acidic barbs cloaked by a friendly hand on the shoulder.
—
Abby Monteil, Them., 28 Oct. 2025
The move comes as the federal government shutdown drags on into its fourth week with no end in sight, and Democrats and Republicans trading barbs and blame.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Voting Even without Musk's barbs, engaging shareholders and voting around the best corporate governance practices have long been a hot topic.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
To eat the nopales, remove the spines (spikes, thorns, or barbs) and use them raw in salads or cooked in soups or tacos.
—Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barb
Abby Monteil, Them., 28 Oct. 2025
The move comes as the federal government shutdown drags on into its fourth week with no end in sight, and Democrats and Republicans trading barbs and blame.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Voting Even without Musk's barbs, engaging shareholders and voting around the best corporate governance practices have long been a hot topic.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
To eat the nopales, remove the spines (spikes, thorns, or barbs) and use them raw in salads or cooked in soups or tacos.
—Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barb
Noun
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The Special Olympics has been fighting against the discriminatory use of the word since the term’s early days as an insult.—
Kate Reilly,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
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The race has been no short of dogged, as insults between the candidates on the debate stage have led to archives investigations and defamation lawsuit threats.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cleveland says narcissists often disguise sarcasm as humor, slipping in cutting remarks about your intelligence, competence, or appearance but framing them as playful.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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While the track leans toward sarcasm, the soon-to-be-anthem perfectly captures a generational sentiment.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Barb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barb. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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