1
: not reproducing: such as
a
: incapable of producing offspring
—used especially of females or matings
barren women
b
: not yet or not recently pregnant
c
of plants
: habitually failing to fruit
barren apple trees
2
4
: lacking interest or charm
a barren routine
5
: lacking inspiration or ideas
a barren mind
barrenly
adverb
1
barrens plural, geography
: an extent of usually level land having an inferior growth of trees or little vegetation
2
: a tract of barren land
Synonyms
Examples of barren in a Sentence
Adjective
Few creatures can thrive on these barren mountaintops.
The book was good, but I found the barren lives of the characters depressing.
Noun
lived out in the barrens where it was impossible to grow anything
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
In one glance, an observer can see the barren, airless lunar surface and a cold, desert planet that once harbored rivers, lakes, and potentially life, all while standing on our own planet, an oasis in the cosmos.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 14 Jan. 2025
Subtext Additionally, the high salt content of the water is also potentially damaging to the ecosystems where it is used to put out fires, often causing a barren landscape in those areas for years afterward.
—Sam Woodward, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
Advertisement More than 1,000 homes were damaged in the barren and sparsely populated region, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
—Ken Moritsugu, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for barren 
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Adjective
California officials are proposing making looting during a local emergency a felony, as wildfires continue to blaze through parts of their state, leaving barren neighborhoods susceptible to such crime.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
In one glance, an observer can see the barren, airless lunar surface and a cold, desert planet that once harbored rivers, lakes, and potentially life, all while standing on our own planet, an oasis in the cosmos.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 14 Jan. 2025
Subtext Additionally, the high salt content of the water is also potentially damaging to the ecosystems where it is used to put out fires, often causing a barren landscape in those areas for years afterward.
—Sam Woodward, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
Advertisement More than 1,000 homes were damaged in the barren and sparsely populated region, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
—Ken Moritsugu, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for barren
Dictionary Entries Near barren
Cite this Entry
“Barren.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barren. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barren
1 of 2 adjective
bar·ren
ˈbar-ən 
1
a
: not able to produce offspring
—used especially of females
b
: usually failing to fruit
barren apple trees
2
a
: producing inferior or little to no vegetation
barren soils
b
: not producing results or gain
a barren plan
barrenly
adverb
barren
2 of 2 noun
: a tract of barren land
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