BARKS Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

barks 1 of 3

noun

plural of bark

as in ships

a boat equipped with one or more sails took a small bark out on the lake

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barks

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of bark

as in peels

to remove the natural covering of barking a tree will probably kill it

Synonyms & Similar Words

barks

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of bark

as in shouts

to speak sharply or irritably the new supervisor found that speaking to people with a civil tongue got better results than barking at them

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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 barks

Noun

There is a chorus of 14, singing sheep and a pair of dogs (hilariously portrayed by Catriona Hewitson and Edward Jowle), whose barks become words that Theresa understands as she becomes strung out. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Incense usually comes in either cone or stick form and is composed of fragrant material — usually resins, seeds, barks and flowers — that’s bound together using a combustible material. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 Caspar David Friedrich has sketchbooks of particular branches, twigs, barks of different trees. — Literary Hub, 12 May 2026 Foxes use a variety of calls, including barks, howls, yaps, and growls. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026 And while humans can often discern animal distress calls or differentiate dog barks, many animal noises may seem inconsequential to the untrained human ear. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2026 One hums with high-speed drills and anxiety; the other echoes with joyful barks and tail wags. — Henry I. Miller, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026 On our third day, a late-afternoon beach landing on Sante Fe deposited us amid a colony of sleeping sea lions, their barks and coughs reverberating across the sandy shore. — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026 That Doberman, the two black Labradors and a standard poodle better watch out for the two Chihuahuas, their barks say. — Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 23 Dec. 2025

Verb

Tight end Trey McBride said Brissett barks at the defense after making a big play, particularly at star safety Budda Baker, which spikes practice competitiveness. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Linnetz’s rambunctious wire-haired Viszla mix, Einstein, barks at what is unbeknownst to him one of the most legendary skateboards of all time. — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Other than the occasional barks from her dog, who doesn’t appreciate being locked away for guests, the witch’s home is peaceful and a far cry from the dank, dark cottages often found in folklore. — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 Despite his breed, Genji has yet to discover the famous Shiba scream and, in fact, barely barks. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Cumming barks in a jump-scare moment that takes the group by surprise. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026 The dog searches, finds the person, barks, and receives the toy as his reward. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026 Early sips are big on citrus (specifically pomelo and lemon) and herbal tea, alongside lighter elements of cedar and birch barks. — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Mac barks at Andi as the two of them drive home. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barks

Noun

Another 2% of the global workforce is employed indirectly — heavy equipment and ships, for example, don't build themselves.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
According to data from shipping publication and intelligence company Lloyd’s List, crossings through the Bab el-Mandeb strait by ships above 18,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) have jumped from one in 2025 to 44 so far this year.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of ships

Verb

As autumn progresses, the husk peels back, revealing the orange berries.

— Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay.

— Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of peels

Verb

O’Kane shouts when Tom Brokaw announces that one of the men suspected of plotting the attack has been detained.

— Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities, shouts slogans during a rally to recruit more fighters, in Sanaa on September 10, 2026.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of shouts

Noun

Windstar’s fleet has an array of options to fit any travel style, offering both sailing yachts and all-suite yachts across its Greece voyages.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Sirena Yachts made one mighty splash at Cannes this year, presenting one of the largest yachts of the show.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of yachts

Verb

The film focused on a young Black reenactor at a historical slave plantation museum in the Midwest who yells at tourists and fights with the town’s racist mayor — played by Parker — was reportedly slated to go into production in the summer of 2024.

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2026
The officer points a flashlight inside the back window, yells toward another officer nearby, then gets on his radio.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of yells

Noun

The Taiwanese navy is planning to invest heavily in large surface combatants, including a new 7,000-ton warship and as many as 12 3,000-ton light frigates.

— HOLMES LIAO, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Boosts naval fleet The addition of the new Ningde brings the number of Type 054A frigates in the Chinese Navy to 46, according to Chinese state media.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of frigates

Verb

Day to day, as the city grows, there’s also the question of traffic, which snarls the city as public transit initiatives have repeatedly struggled.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Security snarls The TSA PreCheck line at terminal B in LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on March 27, 2026.

— Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

Definition of snarls

Noun

There’s something magical about New England in the summer, when sailboats fill the harbors, lobster rolls are a staple, and historic seaside towns are at their liveliest.

— Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
Like his father — an Olympic champion sailor in 1928 — Harald loved the sea and sailboats.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sailboats

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barking

barks

barley-bree

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“Barks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barks. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of barks

noun

verb (1)

verb (2)

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