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
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Recent Examples of barbs
Comments that once elicited antagonistic barbs are met with calm acceptance.
—
Jon Wiederhorn, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
From Callum Turner‘s cheekbones and Fanning’s wide eyes to Keough’s legs and Lukas Gage’s curls, beauty strikes at every turn, yet barely conceals the barbs and thorns such looks envelop here.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
Mike Epps is getting barbs from Barbz after the comedian made crude remarks about rapper Nicki Minaj during a recent Louisville standup appearance.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Mike Epps is getting barbs from Barbz after the comedian made crude remarks about rapper Nicki Minaj during a recent standup appearance.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 10 Feb. 2026
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones couldn’t escape Jon Hamm’s barbs Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Metal barbs from the device lodge in the skin and deliver high-voltage electrical current, causing intense pain and temporary loss of muscle control.
—Michele Heisler, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
The two traded personal barbs, rekindling history from more than a decade ago.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Michigan’s Dusty May and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo exchanged barbs this week after a tense game over the weekend.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Jon Wiederhorn, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
From Callum Turner‘s cheekbones and Fanning’s wide eyes to Keough’s legs and Lukas Gage’s curls, beauty strikes at every turn, yet barely conceals the barbs and thorns such looks envelop here.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
Mike Epps is getting barbs from Barbz after the comedian made crude remarks about rapper Nicki Minaj during a recent Louisville standup appearance.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Mike Epps is getting barbs from Barbz after the comedian made crude remarks about rapper Nicki Minaj during a recent standup appearance.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 10 Feb. 2026
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones couldn’t escape Jon Hamm’s barbs Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Metal barbs from the device lodge in the skin and deliver high-voltage electrical current, causing intense pain and temporary loss of muscle control.
—Michele Heisler, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
The two traded personal barbs, rekindling history from more than a decade ago.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Michigan’s Dusty May and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo exchanged barbs this week after a tense game over the weekend.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbs
insults
Noun
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Don't demand full refunds for minor issues, and avoid insults or aggressive language, which can quickly turn the situation into a standoff.—
Joshua Sidorowicz,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
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Davidson also shouted out other insults and profanity during the evening, according to Variety.—
Anastasia Tsioulcas,
NPR,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbs. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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