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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring
the pear tree appears to be barren
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
that line of investigation proved barren, so the police tried other avenues
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barren
Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
That was hardly ideal preparation for what undoubtedly had been England’s golden opportunity to end 15 barren years and three series in Australia without a single Test victory.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Tarr went on to direct the accomplished The Man From London, which starred Tilda Swinton, before retiring after The Turin Horse, a luminously stark period chamber drama about a father and his adult daughter living alone in the barren Hungarian countryside over the span of about a week.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
While a barren Christmas was expected, the kindness of strangers began, according to a front-page News-Sun story last week by Tess Kenny.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barren
Adjective
Climate change has transformed some parts of Greenland, with ice melting to reveal wetlands, areas of shrub and barren rock.
—Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
That was hardly ideal preparation for what undoubtedly had been England’s golden opportunity to end 15 barren years and three series in Australia without a single Test victory.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Tarr went on to direct the accomplished The Man From London, which starred Tilda Swinton, before retiring after The Turin Horse, a luminously stark period chamber drama about a father and his adult daughter living alone in the barren Hungarian countryside over the span of about a week.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
While a barren Christmas was expected, the kindness of strangers began, according to a front-page News-Sun story last week by Tess Kenny.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barren
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barren
Adjective
-
Sátántangó’s desolate landscapes, dominated by mud, wind, and overcast skies, summoned a vision of earthly purgatory unrivaled in almost all of cinema.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Thanksgiving is desolate with freezing rain.—
Allegra Goodman,
New Yorker,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This makes your home feel intentional and personal instead of sterile and unoriginal.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Many japonica camellias, in the manner of other botanical hybrids, are sterile with their yellow, thread-like stamens and stigmas either absent or invisible.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The 49ers went three and out on their next two possessions and were unsuccessful on throws outside the numbers after hitting the middle of the field with three completions on the scoring drive.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Efforts to find footage of what happened on social media and through surveillance cameras have been unsuccessful.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
These tours pair expert local guides, distinctive accommodations, and exclusive access (think private temple visits in Japan or luxury desert camps in Morocco) with a focus on meaningful community impact.—
Josh Roberts,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Detroit would be wandering the desert if not for beginning its rebuild by picking Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson in the top six.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The United States must step away from war and send food to Venezuela’s impoverished people.—
William Lambers,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Leaning into the superstition that someone with albinism can bring wealth to those in need, Panay’s story follows a young boy with albinism (Boubacar Dembèlè), whose voice is believed to hold special powers that can protect impoverished miners risking their lives for gold.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But the rally felt less threatening than futile.—
Zach Fisch,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
And this is asking that question, how are these people finding meaning and purpose in their lives that feel so oppressive and futile?—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Though his contract expires after 2028, Miami could use a void year that will result in an $11 million cap charge in 2029.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Dec. 2025
-
The contest is void where prohibited by law.—
CBS LA Staff,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Barren.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barren. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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