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

On May 30, locals and activists protest the installation of fences and barbed wire around the site, marking the start of a broader protest movement against the project.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

Protesters clashed with private security guards on Saturday in the region after gathering to register their anger at newly installed barbed wire blocking access to the beach.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

Tons of trash, ridden with glass and barbed wire, had to be removed from Nachusa in tractor trailers before the first of the bison could be reintroduced.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Surveillance camera footage captured Mott scaling an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire at the perimeter of the airport in just 15 seconds, then walking across the runway.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Part of the way we walked beside a small woods, separated only by a roll of barbed wire from a glistening world of dewdrops.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• fence
• fencing