bark 1 of 3

verb (1)

Definition of barknext
as in to peel
to remove the natural covering of barking a tree will probably kill it

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bark

2 of 3

verb (2)

ˈbärk How to pronounce bark (audio)
as in to snarl
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bark

3 of 3

noun

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

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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 bark
Verb
She was awakened in the middle of the night by her barking dog and the sound of a woman screaming in the street. — City News Service, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026 Cumming barks in a jump-scare moment that takes the group by surprise. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
And the fungal connection that Noël Bernard first discovered, the thread that enters the cells of the developing orchid, extends out of the cells and seeds and the roots and into the bark of the tree. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 Textures feel nearly tangible, from the rough bark of the branch to the fine iridescence of the feathers. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bark
  1. snarl
  2. ship
  3. shout
  4. schooner
  5. yell
  6. frigate
  7. scream
  8. sloop
Verb
  • The 2012 Olympic gold medalist was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021 after snarling, dunking and driving with full force every play, every night.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The horns section snarled, the background vocalists riffed, and Olivia picked up multiple instruments herself – the tambourine, guitar, shakers, and the piano.
    — Sidney Madden, VIBE.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of snarl
Noun
  • The ambassador, a 69-year-old Texan billionaire, insisted on installing it, to have a place for the ship owner’s family to hang out, maybe flip an omelet for themselves.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Since then, Iran has resumed attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US has reinstated its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ship
Verb
  • Video showed locals draped in Spanish flags, shouting anti-migrant slogans, and singing Spanish songs, torching the camp and throwing migrants’ belongings in the Mediterranean or into bonfires.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Being Chicago’s hometown airline — and shouting about it a lot — affords United Airlines certain privileges.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of shout
Noun
  • A couple of miles south, things were much quieter (and pricier) at Grand Banks, a schooner turned oyster bar docked at Tribeca’s Pier 25, with views of the Statue of Liberty and the Freedom Tower.
    — Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The sailing yacht is a replica of the legendary 20th-century schooner Elena.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of schooner
Verb
  • Defiant, Mladic acted bullishly during his trial and yelled at the judges when sentenced to life in prison.
    — Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Don't be one of those loudmouths yelling and screaming and pretending.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of yell
Noun
  • The frigate also carried out replenishment exercises at sea, helicopter take-off and landing drills and damage-control training designed to prepare its crew for emergencies during combat.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Zelenskyy, who did not mention grain terminals, said Russia's Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov frigates, a large landing ship, a corvette, and other vessels were struck in the attack.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of frigate
Verb
  • Otherwise, there’s definitely a family-friendly element to the hotel (the whole storybook feel screams childhood), though the food options may be a little bit advanced for a kids’ palate.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
  • His career numbers – 24 touchdown passes against 22 interceptions – hardly scream program savior.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of scream
Noun
  • Sailing aboard a 30-foot sloop on Acapulco Bay, Henry Kissinger kept a protective arm around his new wife, as a motorboat filled with the press corps followed.
    — Robert D. Mcfadden, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Just two days after the Hannah was underway, her crew captured the Unity, a sloop loaded with naval stores and lumber, supplies sorely needed by British forces in Boston.
    — Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
Definition of sloop

Browse Nearby Words

baring
bark
barked
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Cite this Entry

“Bark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bark. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bark

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