bark 1 of 3

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)

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

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
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
Noun
Said serum is formulated with vitamin C, Persian silk tree bark, and glycerin. Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 12 June 2026 Beavers eat the bark and leaves. Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bark
Verb
  • An overnight traffic crash snarled traffic early Tuesday along Interstate 96 in Livingston County, Michigan.
    Paula Wethington, CBS News, 16 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
Noun
  • Earlier this week, Kpler estimated around 220 tankers and 500 ships were stranded in the Persian Gulf.
    Lou Robinson, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
  • Mach Industries has won a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract to develop a long-range unmanned aircraft designed to launch from austere locations and ships without large flight decks.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • The group was met by a much smaller contingent of mostly men who appeared to make Nazi salutes and shouted anti-Muslim chants.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
  • One photo in the post showed Swift with her arm around Hargitay, 62, as other Knicks fans surrounded them, while a second snap captured them both shouting and cheering.
    Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • When the perilous search for the Northwest Passage sparked a wave of popular interest in the Arctic, Church set off by schooner in search of icebergs.
    Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026
  • The museum’s centerpiece is the historic Percy & Small Shipyard, the nation’s only surviving shipyard from the large wooden vessel era and the site where the giant schooner Wyoming was built.
    USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The living room can turn suddenly cold and cavernous, with Joe and Angela yelling at each other across an emotional chasm.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 19 June 2026
  • People can be heard yelling in the background.
    Louis Casiano , Stepheny Price , Brooke Taylor , Jasmine Baehr , Brie Stimson , Kelsie Cairns , Reagan Schroeder, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Russia says the crew of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired shots into the air after the sailboat failed to respond to warnings to change course.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 June 2026
  • O’Brien advised them to build a large, permanent air-force base, and to keep frigates on rotation in the Nuuk harbor, as a deterrent to the Russian and Chinese navies.
    Ben Taub, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The keeper could do nothing but flail and then turn and scream in frustration at his defense’s failings at the crucial moment.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
  • Elena called for Harold, who ran out in his boxers — both men screamed at each other and threatened to call the cops.
    Olivia Bensimon, Curbed, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Palm Beach Motor Yachts has taken its supermaxi sloop to new heights—quite literally.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bark. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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