1
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
if tobacco fields aren't allowed to lie idle once every few years, they will become barren
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring
the pear tree appears to be barren
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
that line of investigation proved barren, so the police tried other avenues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected
their proposal for revitalizing the downtown business district is utterly barren of useful ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in desert
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
lived out in the barrens where it was impossible to grow anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barren
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
15 June 2026
In the years after the American Revolution, many clergy believed that the harvest field had become barren.
—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Perhaps more interesting still are the hundreds of barren whale remains that the researchers saw during their dives.
—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
In a barren free-agent class, though, that’s much easier said than done.
—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for barren
Adjective
Acknowledging the difficulty of fundraising, Yee agreed that a barren market could be frustrating and encouraged directors to hold firm and believe the dark times were only cyclical.
—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
15 June 2026
In the years after the American Revolution, many clergy believed that the harvest field had become barren.
—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Perhaps more interesting still are the hundreds of barren whale remains that the researchers saw during their dives.
—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
In a barren free-agent class, though, that’s much easier said than done.
—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for barren
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barren
Adjective
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Wilderness Little Kulala is about a 45-minute drive outside the park, located in a seemingly desolate rocky plain with harsh, jagged mountains interspersed throughout the flatlands.
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Most of the women disappeared between 2000 and 2010, and most of their remains were found on a desolate parkway not far from Long Island’s Gilgo Beach, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Manhattan.
Adjective
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Gone are the days of matchy-matchy sets, sterile millennial greige, and stark black-and-white color palettes.
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Now, authorities in Texas are releasing sterile flies once more.
Adjective
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There were certainly many unsuccessful fits and starts.
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Pearson said multiple attempts by Fish and Game to trap the bear were unsuccessful.
Adjective
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The island is devoid of high rises and fast-food restaurants.
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The play, intentionally devoid of physical male characters, focuses on women's stories, sisterhood, and reclaiming one's life.
Noun
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Preparations for Las Vegas Summer League are on the horizon — the Hornets are the defending champions after winning the title for the first time in 2025 — and their first action takes place in the desert in just over two weeks.
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But the desert itself is anything but quiet.
Adjective
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Among the Cambodians to exploit the instability was Toek Tik, a once-impoverished former Khmer Rouge foot soldier whose confessions helped investigators substantiate some of their claims against Latchford.
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And the people who got trapped behind—and who are now the impoverished mass of the remaining Cuban population—are the descendants of the slave population, or those who intermarried with the slave population.
Adjective
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Fahd, cradling his bloodied baby, pressing his hand to Sam’s head in a futile attempt to staunch the bleeding.
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The suit recounts the rapid deterioration — and futile attempts to salvage — what for a long time had been a mutually beneficial professional and artistic partnership.
Adjective
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Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Sweepstakes or website, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void.
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There are several marketing terms–like ‘natural’ or ‘fresh’–on product packaging that are essentially void of any significant meaning, and consumers are becoming more knowledgeable, thus skeptical, about these terms.
Cite this Entry
“Barren.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barren. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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