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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Recent Examples of barbed
Reams of barbed wire gathered from the fields around Penpont were fashioned into a mesh curtain whose ends wrapped around two columns at the top of the museum’s grand staircase; the result was both alluring and forbidding.
—
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Following the 1967 war, a rope of asphalt had replaced the rubble and barbed wire, meandering through the city like an unwanted river.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Much of the comedy in this action-comedy arrives via barbed exchanges between the constantly bickering James and Jonny.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Who knew barbed wire could be so interesting?
—Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbed
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Following the 1967 war, a rope of asphalt had replaced the rubble and barbed wire, meandering through the city like an unwanted river.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Much of the comedy in this action-comedy arrives via barbed exchanges between the constantly bickering James and Jonny.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Who knew barbed wire could be so interesting?
—Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbed
Adjective
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As each assignee struggles under the weight of conscience, coercion, and fear, the darkly satirical story examines who draws society’s moral lines, who enforces them, and what happens when they are crossed under extreme pressure.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
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The show, then and now, combines a sentimental, satirical, soapy, sometimes surreal comedy with a straightforward medical show.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Moving between longing, sarcastic humor and anger, Penelope is a life-affirming feminist romance that makes an ancient legend, first told thousands of years ago, still relevant today.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
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As Torquay’s women’s team were beating Gloucester on Sunday, commenters left sarcastic replies under the club’s social media updates.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The acidic solution is placed in the base and water reservoir of the unplugged dehumidifier, and allowed to sit for up to 60 minutes to dissolve the mineral buildup.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
25 Feb. 2026
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Sometimes compost becomes too acidic during decomposition, Ivanov says—fireplace ash helps neutralize this acidity.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
An arrest has been made in an acid attack on a Long Island college student that happened nearly five years ago.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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As wine lovers’ taste in Chardonnay has moved from ripe and buttery to lean and racy, higher-acid, more-flavorful versions have come into vogue.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Chill Factor Perhaps the most biting statistic of the season so far is the temperature.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbed. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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