as in satiric
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
barbed satire on American academia
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barbed
And Princess Margaret used to say that the whole of the castle was surrounded by barbed wire, which wouldn’t have kept the Germans out, but certainly kept [them] in.
—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
The woman at the front desk of the Devil’s Rope Museum in McLean, Texas, was thrilled Bob Wire was visiting the barbed wire exhibits.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Misogyny runs deep, quiet, local, and sharp as barbed wire.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Investigators say Mott climbed over an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire before entering the restricted airfield.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbed
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
The woman at the front desk of the Devil’s Rope Museum in McLean, Texas, was thrilled Bob Wire was visiting the barbed wire exhibits.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Misogyny runs deep, quiet, local, and sharp as barbed wire.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Investigators say Mott climbed over an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire before entering the restricted airfield.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbed
Adjective
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Moore was a Baptist evangelist, admired for his knowledge of the Scriptures and for his satirical edge from the pulpit.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
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In Lebanon, a look-alike delivery driver posts satirical videos and pranks unsuspecting residents, showing the fear Adraee inspires.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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When asked to divulge what his tactics would be against the powerful Swiss team in Saturday’s World Cup opener for the two nations, Lopetegui couldn’t help but unleash a sarcastic but realistic response.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
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When the 10th batter (Dalton Rushing) struck out for the first out of the inning, the diminished number of Pirates fans still on hand gave a sarcastic cheer for their team’s stick-to-itiveness.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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These involve removal of thorium from REE containing acidic solution, as well as the selective extraction of REEs using oxalic acid.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
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The acidic nature of coffee can be a source of discomfort for people with acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).—
Christina Manian,
Health,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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De la Espriella also represented some high-profile victims, including Natalia Ponce de León, who was the target of an acid attack in 2014, and Rosa Elvira Cely, whose murder in 2012 generated national outrage and led to the creation of Colombia’s femicide laws.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
1 June 2026
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New York — In New York’s Hudson Valley, the artist Anicka Yi has erected columns bursting with mercurial microbial life, in hues of acid green and coffee, arranged like an archaeological dig at Storm King Art Center.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
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The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbed. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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