Synonyms of barrens

barrens

noun

plural of barren

as in deserts

land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deserts
• wastelands
• wildernesses
• heaths
• wastes
• bushes
• wilds
• badlands
• desolations
• no-man's-lands
• brushes
• outdoors
• dust bowls
• natures

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of barrens

In its place urchin barrens now carpet the seafloor; a spiny, silent landscape stripped of life. — Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026

The forests are marked by sparse conifer stands, woodlands, herbaceous vegetation, and unvegetated barrens that dominate the transition to Arctic tundra. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2026

The population surge caused widespread urchin barrens across the islands. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025

Given the surrounding terrain, largely comprising volcanic barrens and lava fields, the risk of wildfire remains low, and no life-threatening impacts have been identified. — Isabel Van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025