barbed wire

American  

noun

1. a wire or strand of wires having small pieces of sharply pointed wire twisted around it at short intervals, used chiefly for fencing in livestock, keeping out trespassers, etc.

---

barbed wire British  

noun

1. Also called (US): barbwire.  strong wire with sharply pointed barbs at close intervals

---

Etymology

Origin of barbed wire

First recorded in 1860–65

Compare meaning

How does barbed-wire compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• razor wire vs. barbed wire

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

barbed wire

My coffee table is made of aluminum and resembles barbed wire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

I had expected a prison van but instead a small, grey Hyundai i30 hatchback drove past us at speed and into the secure compound behind a security gate and barbed wire perimeter.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The album was preceded in May by “Rough and Twisted,” a wandering blues number with riffs like barbed wire, and “In the Stars,” which softens arena rock with polished backing vocals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

A stone's throw from the barbed wire and minefields that separate the two Koreas, thousands gathered for a music festival this weekend to sing about peace in a place synonymous with conflict.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

I slid under the barbed wire and ran.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Related Words

• fence
• fencing