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
The rebels’ early progress north of Aleppo had stagnated, and the regime had taken to chucking barrels filled with TNT out of helicopters into crowded civilian areas. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Some crude must undergo short haul lightering and ship to ship transfers before reaching buyers, with transport expenses alone adding roughly 30 to 40 dollars per barrel to overall costs. — CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
And as often, reminded viewers of the need for donations to keep their crusade barreling forward. — Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 No other vehicles or civilians were involved in the incident, the sheriff said, noting that three cars had just passed through the intersection before the tractor came barreling through it. — ABC News, 6 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
  • Roan, for her part, wears pale green eye shadow accented by mod-style graphic eyeliner and tons of pink blush, plus some high-contrast strawberry blonde streaks in her signature red hair.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 Oct. 2026
  • For the ship’s company, the key task of the autumn is to turn 80,000 tons of military hardware into a working aircraft carrier sbeginning with resuming air operations.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 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
  • Domestic chipmakers are racing to catch up, but their tech still lags the US – and supplies of their cutting-edge models are tight.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Across Formula 1, tech giants are expanding their partnerships with racing teams as AI finds its way into everything from race strategy to fan engagement.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 13 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
  • Kerry McCoy’s guitar juices up a mid-song gallop by abruptly pivoting from big and noisy to compressed and snarling; at the climax, everything cuts out for a second to spotlight a Daniel Tracy drum fill.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The ballad finds Fontaines’ Grian Chatten and Rosalía trading lines over a moody acoustic strum that repeatedly swells with strings and clattering drums.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 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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barrel
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Cite this Entry

“Barrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barrel. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on barrel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barrel

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