: a dam placed in a watercourse to increase the depth of water or to divert it into a channel for navigation or irrigation
1
military
: artillery fire laid on a line (see line entry 1 sense 6c) close to friendly troops to screen and protect them
The enemy laid down a barrage of machine-gun fire as our platoon approached the bridge.
2
: a vigorous or rapid outpouring or projection of many things at once
a barrage of phone calls
unleashed a barrage of insults
an oratorical barrage
barraged; barraging
: to deliver a barrage (see barrage entry 2) against
were barraged with bullets
being barraged by campaign ads before the election
Synonyms
Examples of barrage in a Sentence
Noun (2)
the teacher's rapid-fire barrage of homework assignments went by too fast for me to write them all down
Verb
the star athlete was barraged with requests for an autograph
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
The Knicks outscored the Bucks 39-29, then maintained their barrage when Brunson returned from his shoulder scare.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Americans are also barraged with a one-sided view about the benefits of drugs.
—David Marks, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for barrage 
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Noun
As insurance companies operating in the area expect a barrage of damage claims in the coming days and weeks, Newsweek looked at insurers that previously declined the most claims.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
The Knicks outscored the Bucks 39-29, then maintained their barrage when Brunson returned from his shoulder scare.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
Some piers sheltered from the typical northwestward storm now get barraged from all angles.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Americans are also barraged with a one-sided view about the benefits of drugs.
—David Marks, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for barrage
Dictionary Entries Near barrage
Cite this Entry
“Barrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrage. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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