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
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 Before the Clark-Bonner scene, Cunningham stepped into the confrontation and pointed directly at Bonner, who continued barking at officials as teammates tried to pull her away. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
Noun
In the post, the park included an image of a tree that was partially stripped of its bark, seemingly showing the damage from the storm. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 Simply apply 1 to 2 inches of natural mulch, like bark mulch, over the roots of your plants to lock in soil moisture and keep the mulch line at least 1 inch away from the plant's stems. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 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
  • Lane closures remained in effect, snarling traffic for several miles as rush hour intensified.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The incident shut down the busy interstate for hours, snarling traffic during teh evening commute.
    — Riley Rourke, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of snarl
Noun
  • Any monetization of the strait would be a dramatic change from the situation before the war, when commercial ships carrying 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supply transited the waterway without fees.
    — Abigail Williams, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • The Navy had to wait for specialized technicians to arrive or ship massive parts across the globe to repair depots in the US, keeping combat jets grounded.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026
Definition of ship
Verb
  • One day while sitting on the porch, Sarah appeared out of nowhere, running towards them, shouting for them.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026
  • The crew and the two witnesses said one of the three men got out with a dog and then moved aggressively towards the crew while shouting racial slurs targeted at the photographer.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of shout
Noun
  • One fishing vessel on view recalls the grisly story of Howard Blackburn, a Gloucester fisherman who went out as part of a big schooner to the Grand Banks.
    — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Get out on the water in a different way with Traverse Tall Ship Company, offering tours aboard the biggest tall ship on Lake Michigan, the 114-foot schooner Manitou.
    — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 24 June 2026
Definition of schooner
Verb
  • Other people at the scene can be heard yelling that the cash was not evidence and did not belong to the officer.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • Interviews with the pilots, flight attendants, and fellow passengers revealed Cook had gotten up during takeoff and then ran forward while yelling, per the affidavit.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of yell
Noun
  • Germany has decided to acquire eight MEKO A-200 warships from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), in place of six vessels under the F126 frigate program.
    — Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 25 June 2026
  • Berlin is reportedly planning to scrap a multi-billion-euro project to build the F126 frigates, in which Rheinmetall was expected to become the lead contractor.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 24 June 2026
Definition of frigate
Verb
  • Police said that after the girl screamed, the video shows a man getting into his vehicle and driving away.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • The couple’s relationship began with a friendship bracelet and a podcast shout-out in July 2023, and by September Swift was screaming profanities in support of her new favorite football player.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 30 June 2026
Definition of scream
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
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 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bark

Nglish: Translation of bark for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bark

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