barn door

British  

noun

1. the door of a barn

2. informal a target so large that it cannot be missed

3. photog television theatre an adjustable flap over the front of a studio or theatre lamp

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Example Sentences

“The backstop becomes more important when the barn door is open,” said Matt Gardner, a senior fellow at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a progressive group.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

"This is not a barn door easy miss," he said.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2024

But ultimately, “access to pasture” means just that—the barn door is open, says Kestrel Burcham, a policy director at the Cornucopia Institute, a nonprofit consumer watchdog group.

From National Geographic • Feb. 16, 2024

“Old doors offer a lot of period character regardless of what era they’re from. While they’re often warped, barn door hardware can be used to create a slider for a pantry, a closet or mudroom.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2023

"Slamming the barn door and stomping off like that. I'd like to ask her about the escaping pony, but I don't think she'll want to talk to us right now."

From "Pony Problems: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #3" by Carolyn Keene