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
  • Deck said 20,000 to 25,000 tons of bone-dry biomass are available each year at the landfill.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • According to Japan’s Ministry of Finance, natto exports reached 5,248 tons in 2025, nearly tripling from 2017.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 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
  • Researchers have identified a new bacterial enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of polyesters and bioplastics.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Several commissioners hope First & Early could speed up the project timeline.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of speed
Noun
  • The advance notice allowed Baugh and his colleagues to alert dozens of grooms living in the barns to evacuate before the flood reached them.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The ruling allowed Oregon and dozens of other Western localities to limit where individuals living in cars, parks and other encampments stayed.
    — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 21 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 22 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barrel

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