barking 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of bark
as in peeling
to remove the natural covering of barking a tree will probably kill it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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barking

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of bark
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
Verb
On the opposite side of the ball, he could be heard barking orders out during pick-and-roll situations, loudly letting teammates know where the ball-handler was headed. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026 Beyond the deployment of excavators, a CCTV video report showed a search dog barking to alert a rescuer about signs of life. — ABC News, 18 July 2026 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, 7 July 2026 This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026 My high-octane mutt was leaping around the patio table and barking excitedly while my neighbors huddled together over their steaks. — Deborah Mower, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 In the footage, the sound of barking can be heard coming from a dark crevice in the rubble. — Stephen Smith, CBS News, 1 July 2026 In footage posted on X by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, the dog named Giselle is heard barking from underneath the rubble as rescue team members attempt to locate the animal. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 Zoom, Teams, and AirPods strip out the dog barking or the café behind you. — Vinay Kuruvila, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barking
  1. peeling
  2. shouting
  3. snarling
  4. yelling
  5. screaming
  6. growling
Verb
  • In addition to the peeling paint, the pool experienced one of the biggest recorded algae blooms in years just days after its reopening.
    — Maura Judkis, Washington Post, 16 July 2026
  • The duo started their show five years ago, with the goal of peeling back the curtain on their daily lives, from their jobs covering the NFL to relationship advice to health and beauty tips.
    — Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of peeling
Verb
  • Relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson was not happy, shouting obscenities at the umpire and ripping him for his appearance.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
  • Chappell likens it to a room shouting at you—too many patterns can look turbulent rather than playful, bold, and curated.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
Definition of shouting
Verb
  • Just like in the darnkess cave, the snarling machine gun of thoughts—unanswered emails, to-dos, and angst about my 17 year old’s plans to travel the world alone—slowly fell silent.
    — Tim Neville, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, Argentina is a snarling team full of passion-merchants.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of snarling
Verb
  • Several other residents eventually heard the woman yelling for help and called 911.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • The source also told the outlet that the intruder was yelling racial slurs at Melvin before he was arrested.
    — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
Definition of yelling
Verb
  • After securing the victory over Argentina on Sunday, Yamal’s little brother, Keyne, could be seen running straight into his soccer star brother’s arms and screaming with joy over the win.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • The key is to train the mind to relax, just chill, even though somebody’s at the doorbell, even though somebody’s walking into the kitchen, little kids screaming through the house.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
  • Could the growling creature be responsible for the gouges by Zampanò’s dead body?
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026
Definition of growling

Browse Nearby Words

barkeeps
barking
barks
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Cite this Entry

“Barking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barking. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on barking

Nglish: Translation of barking for Spanish Speakers

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