as in insults
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of barbs
The latest barbs come after China announced further rare earth export restrictions last week in a move that triggered a familiar cycle of alarm in Washington.
—
Lizzi C. Lee, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Tensions between Beijing and Washington have flared again in recent days as both sides traded barbs and ramped up respective restrictions, threatening to erode progress made after several rounds of bilateral trade talks this year.
—Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, Jeffries and Lawler traded pointed barbs in the halls of the Capitol when Lawler confronted Jeffries on his objection to a short-term extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 9 Oct. 2025
The government shutdown has shown little sign of resolution as many lawmakers exchange barbs and dig into their positions.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2025
After exchanging very sharp barbs in the press, Osbourne and Ward didn’t communicate for a full decade.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
Kimmel and Damon have playfully traded barbs over the past two decades since that moment, roping others like Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, and Tom Brady into their shenanigans.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
For several days, Minaj and Card B have been embroiled in a vicious back-and-forth on the platform, with the two women trading sharp barbs about each other’s appearances and children.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
Then the device dissolves into a person’s body like stitches, and the barbs holding it in place have growth hormones in them.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
Lizzi C. Lee, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Tensions between Beijing and Washington have flared again in recent days as both sides traded barbs and ramped up respective restrictions, threatening to erode progress made after several rounds of bilateral trade talks this year.
—Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, Jeffries and Lawler traded pointed barbs in the halls of the Capitol when Lawler confronted Jeffries on his objection to a short-term extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 9 Oct. 2025
The government shutdown has shown little sign of resolution as many lawmakers exchange barbs and dig into their positions.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2025
After exchanging very sharp barbs in the press, Osbourne and Ward didn’t communicate for a full decade.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
Kimmel and Damon have playfully traded barbs over the past two decades since that moment, roping others like Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, and Tom Brady into their shenanigans.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
For several days, Minaj and Card B have been embroiled in a vicious back-and-forth on the platform, with the two women trading sharp barbs about each other’s appearances and children.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
Then the device dissolves into a person’s body like stitches, and the barbs holding it in place have growth hormones in them.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbs
insults
Noun
-
The insults came after Duffy made a series of public appearances to proclaim NASA's intention of reopening a contract with SpaceX for a moon lander for its upcoming Artemis III mission.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Carter was sitting in her chair, listening to a lesson, when Octavius Johnson, a classmate who had a crush on her, started to fire off insults.—
Jeff Pearlman,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Barbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbs. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share