barrier

[bar-ee-er]

noun

1. anything built or serving to bar passage, as a railing, fence, or the like.

   People may pass through the barrier only when their train is announced.

   Synonyms: impediment, hindrance, obstruction, wall, palisade

2. any natural bar or obstacle.

   a mountain barrier.

   Synonyms: impediment, hindrance, obstruction

3. anything that restrains or obstructs progress, access, etc..

   a trade barrier.

   Synonyms: impediment, hindrance, obstruction

4. a limit or boundary of any kind.

   the barriers of caste.

5. Physical Geography.,  an Antarctic ice shelf or ice front.

6. barrier beach.

7. History/Historical.,  barriers, the palisade or railing surrounding the ground where tourneys and jousts were carried on.

8. Archaic.,  a fortress or stockade.

barrier

/ ˈbærɪə /

noun

1. anything serving to obstruct passage or to maintain separation, such as a fence or gate

2. anything that prevents or obstructs passage, access, or progress

   a barrier of distrust

3. anything that separates or hinders union

   a language barrier

4. 1. an exposed offshore sand bar separated from the shore by a lagoon

   2. ( as modifier )

      a barrier beach

5. (sometimes capital) that part of the Antarctic icecap extending over the sea

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrier¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Middle French barriere ( barre bar ¹ + -iere, from Latin -āria -ary ); replacing Middle English barrere, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin barrera

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrier¹

C14: from Old French barriere , from barre _bar ¹

Synonym Study

See bar ¹.

Example Sentences

Women have fallen behind in the return-to-office push, reflecting the barriers they can still hit when juggling careers and families, even after decades of workplace gains.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

While tariffs can look patriotic, Reagan said, “over the long run such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer,” lead to “fierce trade wars” and result in lost jobs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They pushed so hard that the barrier was no longer physical, but mental and, as Hawke says, “neurological.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But the attitude changes as soon as they hear the name pays tribute to Robinson, the Hall of Famer who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

U.S. stocks cleared a key performance barrier as inflation pressures moderated.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• barricade 
• blockade 
• boundary 
• fence 
• hurdle 
• impediment 
• limit 
• obstacle 
• railing 
• roadblock 
• wall