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
In the book, Turrubiate-Simpson questioned why the dogs weren't barking near the kennel right before the murders are thought to have taken place. Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026 But investigators eventually cracked the passcode on Paul Murdaugh’s phone and found a video with a barking dog and Alex Murdaugh’s voice admonishing it five minutes before the young man stopped using his phone. Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Noun
Shredded bark or wood chips last the longest, about two years, whereas shredded leaves or grass clippings decompose in a season or two. Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 20 May 2026 About 12 inches from the tip of the branch, use a sharp knife to cut away a 1-inch-wide ring of bark. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bark
Verb
  • An early morning Penn Station fire injured multiple people and snarled morning service between Newark and New York, upending commuter travel.
    Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 29 May 2026
  • Perhaps you got stuck in the mess last week when rush hour traffic was snarled by a tractor-trailer that got stuck on the concrete barrier at the intersection of Stanwix Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard.
    John Shumway, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • The ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has created uncertainty for hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers waiting for news of an agreement to reopen the crucial shipping corridor.
    Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 29 May 2026
  • The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), along with the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, departed from Naval Station Norfolk on August 14, 2025.
    Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Counter-protesters showed up toward the end and shouted toward the Hernandez supporters and the two sides exchanged some words before dispersing.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
  • Upon accepting his Vanguard Award from the third annual Critics Choice Association‘s Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television last night, Big Mistakes co-creator Dan Levy took a moment to shout out Canadian production for being a step ahead.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • The sails will be exhibited from May 28 through July 30 on The North Wind schooner throughout the festival.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • In 1965, Cochran's boat, a large schooner called the Rogue, was found drifting off the coast of Guatemala.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
Verb
  • Slattery has a knack for giving big performances that also feel nonchalant, almost like he’s been there in that backyard the whole time yelling about lettuce, and a TV production just happened to set up shop around him.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 29 May 2026
  • Perkins can be seen yelling toward someone, while coaches on his team were pushing him away to alleviate the tension.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • Both Salisbury and Schuster see the LCS as primarily stopgaps for the Navy, likely to give way to a new generation of frigates that was announced last December.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
  • Cuba no longer maintains a meaningful blue-water navy, modern frigates or an operational submarine fleet comparable to Cold War levels.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • In the seventh, after his 504th and final pitch of May, Sánchez screamed.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • Her ears rang as her husband, now several meters away, screamed.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Palm Beach Motor Yachts has taken its supermaxi sloop to new heights—quite literally.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Now as sailors stepped out into the surf, a great crowd tried to take oars off the first sloop.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bark. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

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