barrel 1 of 2

noun

ˈber-əl How to pronounce barrel (audio)
Definition of barrelnext
1
as in ton
a considerable amount a visit to an amusement park should be a barrel of laughs

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2
as in tin
a metal container in the shape of a cylinder a trash barrel

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3
as in pipe
an enclosed wooden vessel for holding beverages barrels of fine wine aging in the winery's cellar

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barrel

2 of 2

verb

as in to race
to proceed or move quickly faced with a firm deadline, we barreled through the project at a furious pace

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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 barrel
Noun
To increase supply, the International Energy Agency agreed on Thursday to release more than 20 million barrels of fuel to the market. — Arathy Somasekhar Reuters, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026 Iran is now stepping up attacks on tankers transiting Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, curtailing the volume of oil exiting the region and keeping global crude prices north of $100 a barrel. — Lou Robinson, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
Surveillance video shows three vehicles circling the parking lot before a white Toyota Tacoma barrels through the storefront, shattering glass and sending employees running. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 When a hurricane comes barreling through Florida, there certainly will be winners and losers. — James Coffin, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for barrel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barrel
  1. ton
  2. tin
  3. pipe
  4. race
  5. loads
  6. drum
  7. speed
  8. dozen
Noun
  • Testing autonomy at sea The three-and-a-half-hour exercise used a modified 368-ton unmanned surface vessel previously operated by the US Navy.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • At that rate, removing one billion tons a year would consume almost 8 percent of all the electricity produced worldwide.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of ton
Noun
  • Each red tin is packed with layers of white and dark chocolate perfumed with peppermint oil and topped with crushed peppermint candies.
    — Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Being part of a tank crew means being exposed to high levels of noise and vibration in a huge machine that's constantly bouncing you about like a pea in a tin.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of tin
Noun
  • According to the arrest affidavit police obtained a search warrant and found a glass jar, aluminum powder, black iron oxide and a pipe that was empty at the time.
    — Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Today, tank farms line both sides of the coastal highway near the port, and a network of pipes moves products among terminals and to ships.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of pipe
Verb
  • While an ordinary walk might leave her mind racing toward work, looking for a particular color gave it something else to do, effectively putting all that other mental chatter on mute.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Together, the symbols represent more than 280 years of racing history and state pride, officials say.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of race
Noun
  • The deck replacement is necessary because traffic loads on the span have become increasingly heavy, and salt air has eroded bridge materials.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • According to Formlabs, this improves strength, toughness, heat resistance, and resistance to gradual deformation under sustained loads, while producing a harder, less tacky surface.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of loads
Noun
  • The food is more serious than your typical museum cafe, too, with a catch of the day (say, wahoo and black drum) and main dishes like roast duck leg and quiche.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026
  • An hour before a ball was even kicked on Sunday afternoon, the beating of drums and chanting from the River Guard supporters group could be heard loud and clear from the locker rooms at the Boas Soccer Complex.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of drum
Verb
  • Ambrossi can’t sit still, and has left his hotel to speed-walk through the city, speaking rapidly and barely glancing at his phone screen.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Supporters say Prop 45 will speed up environmental review for essential housing, transportation, water, health, education and other projects, cutting costly delays and passing the savings on to consumers.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of speed
Noun
  • To profile their activity in patients with SCLC, the researchers analyzed tumor samples and non-affected biopsies from a dozen patients using single-cell RNA sequencing and immunophenotyping.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Coming from at least three continents, the cast comprises a dozen players, most of whom have collaborated with Ambarchi or appeared on his excellent label, Black Truffle.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dozen

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Cite this Entry

“Barrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barrel. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barrel

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