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barren

Q: How does the adjective 'barren' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of barren are bald , bare , naked , and nude . While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility. // barren plains

Q: When can 'bald' be used instead of 'barren'?

The synonyms bald and barren are sometimes interchangeable, but bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness. // a bald mountain peak

Q: When might 'bare' be a better fit than 'barren'?

The words bare and barren are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable. // an apartment with bare walls

Q: When could 'naked' be used to replace 'barren'?

While in some cases nearly identical to barren , naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness. // poor half- naked children

Q: Where would 'nude' be a reasonable alternative to 'barren'?

The words nude and barren can be used in similar contexts, but nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure. // a nude model posing for art students

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Synonyms & Antonyms of barren

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 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

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2 not able to produce fruit or offspring

the pear tree appears to be barren

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spayed

unproductive

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potent

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3 producing no results

that line of investigation proved barren, so the police tried other avenues

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counterproductive

Phrases Synonymous with barren

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4 utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected

their proposal for revitalizing the downtown business district is utterly barren of useful ideas

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barren

noun

Synonyms of barren (Entry 2 of 2)

land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops

lived out in the barrens where it was impossible to grow anything

Synonyms for barren

Words Related to barren

badland

brush,
bush

dust bowl

Frequently Asked Questions About barren

How does the adjective barren differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of barren are bald, bare, naked, and nude. While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

When can bald be used instead of barren?

The synonyms bald and barren are sometimes interchangeable, but bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

When might bare be a better fit than barren?

The words bare and barren are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

When could naked be used to replace barren?

While in some cases nearly identical to barren, naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children