barring 1 of 3

Definition of barringnext

barring

2 of 3

preposition

as in except
not including we'll be there, barring rain or some other unexpected problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

barring

3 of 3

verb

present participle of bar
1
as in striping
to make stripes on barred the fence with white strips

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
as in guarding
to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point the bikeway was barred by a huge fallen tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 barring
Noun
Gen Z is 'monkey barring' — not cheating. Charles Trepany, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
Immigration arrests have also occurred at least 33 times after Austin police have contacted ICE, a practice Davis has said exists because state law prohibits the department from barring officers from communicating with federal authorities. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026 But eventually — barring a trade — with Herro and Mitchell back in the mix, there will only be so much depth required in the backcourt. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026 In the fall, restaurants and cafes in neighborhoods like Bridgeport, Pilsen and farther south, to ones in the northwest such as Logan Square and Avondale, put up signs barring immigration agents from entering. Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026 That would push them higher in the lottery standings, increasing their odds of landing a premium pick (barring a drastic turnaround from the Pelicans). Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026 The junta may also have in mind its involvement in ASEAN, which downgraded the country’s participation, barring senior generals from high-level meetings. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Jan. 2026 Johnson has advanced thus far, but barring a settlement, is likely to remain in litigation for years. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2026 But, barring that, business leaders seem to be less wowed by the hype around AI this year and more concerned with the nitty-gritty of how to implement the technology successfully at scale. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026 In late-2024, the Israeli parliament passed laws banning UNRWA operations in Israel and barring official contact with the agency. Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barring
Preposition
  • At Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, face masks are required in public areas, except when dining or swimming, capacity of public areas will be limited, and housekeeping and public area attendants will increase their cleaning procedures.
    Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2020
  • The city advised all residents to stay inside except those going to and from work and anyone seeking or giving emergency care, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti's official Twitter account.
    NBC News, NBC News, 1 June 2020
Verb
  • The amendment would also cut smaller public works construction projects, cut the line striping budget, reduce the budget for asphalt patching, cut vehicle maintenance operating budget and cut the building maintenance budget.
    Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Crews will install barrier walls, patch potholes, and perform striping work during the closures.
    Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Additional legal frameworks include the 1976 ENMOD Convention prohibiting environmental modification techniques for military purposes and Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions that prohibits methods of warfare intended or expected to cause widespread, long-term and severe environmental damage.
    Josiane Yazbeck, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Since then, the Los Angeles County agricultural commissioner has been collaborating with the fumigation facilities on ideas to reduce risk from the pesticide, including installing higher smoke stacks to disperse emissions and prohibiting fumigation during school hours.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Since hitting a high of 1,695 shows in 2022, per Luminate, the TV landscape (excluding live sports and news programming) has shrunk by a third.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Japan currently has the world’s ninth-largest gold reserves, excluding the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to World Gold Council (WGC) data.
    Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • With Minnesota leading by four and 1 minute, 10 seconds to play, Edwards got lackadaisical in his off-ball defense while guarding Chicago’s most potent scorer, Coby White.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Junior Waleed Muhammad, who played nearly every minute of this game, guarding the opponents top player.
    Marielle Mohs, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Leo Strauss, one of Plato’s most important modern interpreters, was a refugee from Nazi Germany, where the banning and burning of subversive books was extremely popular, especially with college students.
    Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
  • The peregrine falcon faced near-extinction in the UK in the 1950s before it was rescued by the banning of the pesticide DDT and stronger legal reinforcements.
    Will Barker, TheWeek, 8 Jan. 2026
Preposition
  • But his death had many contributing factors besides being unable to breath while face down on the ground.
    Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati.com, 2 June 2020
  • The airline’s crew members and ground services personnel are undergoing detailed health check-ups at regular intervals, besides wearing protective gear at all times.
    Niharika Sharma, Quartz India, 31 May 2020
Verb
  • Little kids would go streaking.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The Hurricanes were a comet streaking across the college football sky.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barring. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on barring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!