as in shouting
to speak sharply or irritably
the new supervisor found that speaking to people with a civil tongue got better results than barking at them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 barking
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
As the woman opens her door, the dog starts barking.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Fans and players on both sides started barking, resulting in a social media frenzy.
—Molly Keshin, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Instead, the party carries all the threat of a barking lap dog.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 3 June 2026
Command and control → Collaborate to find success The era of the all-knowing boss barking orders from on high is over.
—Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Swaggering and barking commands like a boy came so naturally that being her real female self began to feel like the more challenging role.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Interesting that the aficionados of barking at people to do as they’re told don’t respond well to being subjected to the same treatment.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 22 May 2026
Sometimes, a barking dog may deter a bear.
—Eva Flowe
may 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Verb
As the officers ask Marseille to put the dog away, bodycam video shows the second officer unholstering his gun and backing away from the barking dog.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
As the woman opens her door, the dog starts barking.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Fans and players on both sides started barking, resulting in a social media frenzy.
—Molly Keshin, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Instead, the party carries all the threat of a barking lap dog.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 3 June 2026
Command and control → Collaborate to find success The era of the all-knowing boss barking orders from on high is over.
—Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Swaggering and barking commands like a boy came so naturally that being her real female self began to feel like the more challenging role.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Interesting that the aficionados of barking at people to do as they’re told don’t respond well to being subjected to the same treatment.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 22 May 2026
Sometimes, a barking dog may deter a bear.
—Eva Flowe
may 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barking
Verb
-
Buffering with a ceramide-rich moisturizer reduces redness and peeling during the first weeks of use.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
-
If preparing vegetables from scratch is an option for you, a few extra minutes spent washing, peeling, and chopping can add flavor, texture, freshness, and value to your cooking.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
As Pillay speaks, he is interrupted by random beeps and Canada’s players shouting either in frustration or excitement nearby.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
There’s been such an outpouring of people online, from film critics to awards pundits, shouting out your performance.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Calm, easy to pilot, and both predictable and correctable on track, the F80 transforms into a snarling monster on the road.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
-
Iran closed it, snarling global energy-supply chains, to gain exactly the leverage now being employed at the negotiating table.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
A lot of yelling and screaming.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
She was arrested last summer for yelling at imaginary people due to her psychiatric challenges, Murphy said.—
Jack Dura,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The cells are basically screaming ‘Hey, our DNA is getting cooked here,’ and that stimulates the pigment cell.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
-
Police said officers were dispatched after a caller reported hearing a woman screaming inside an apartment.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Could the growling creature be responsible for the gouges by Zampanò’s dead body?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 June 2026
-
The big question is whether people who pay hundreds of thousands of euros for growling gas-guzzlers will also shell out for electric versions.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barking. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
