barrage

[ buh-rahzh; especially British bar-ahzh for 1, 2, 4, 5; bahr-ij for 3 ]

/ bəˈrɑʒ; especially British ˈbær ɑʒ for 1, 2, 4, 5; ˈbɑr ɪdʒ for 3 /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR barrage ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Military. a heavy barrier of artillery fire to protect one's own advancing or retreating troops or to stop the advance of enemy troops.

an overwhelming quantity or explosion, as of words, blows, or criticisms: a barrage of questions.

Civil Engineering. an artificial obstruction in a watercourse to increase the depth of the water, facilitate irrigation, etc.

Mycology. an aversion response of sexually incompatible fungus cultures that are growing in proximity, revealed by a persistent growth gap between them.

verb (used with object), bar·raged, bar·rag·ing.

to subject to a barrage.

Nearby words

Origin of barrage

1855–60; < French: blocking, barring off, barrier, equivalent to barr(er) to bar¹ + -age -age; artillery sense by ellipsis from French tir de barrage barrier fire

SYNONYMS FOR barrage

2. volley, torrent, deluge, burst, storm.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR barrage ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for barrage

The barrage and immediacy of these images magnifies these horrors.
You, Too, Could Be a Homicidal Zealot|Joel Gold|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ultimately, The Slap becomes something heartwarming amidst the barrage of stinging smacks.
Viral Video of the Day: Slapping Brings People Together|Alex Chancey|June 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Styles quickly removed the photo from his Twitter account, but not before fielding a barrage of angry tweets.
Pharrell, Harry Styles, and Native American Appropriation|Amy Zimmerman|June 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What possible change can any one citizen instigate against that barrage of anti-intellectual, gun-toting paranoia?
As Parents We’re All Gun Violence Cowards|William Giraldi|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I became numb to the barrage of smells: citrus disinfectants, burning trash, sewage, sweat, and diesel.
How I’ll End the War: My First Week Back in Afghanistan|Nick Willard|May 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nor the day after; I shall be busy with the ‘Barrage’ Committee.
Gray youth|Oliver Onions
When our barrage came down, Mac's tank was in position one hundred and fifty yards from it.
A Company of Tanks|W. H. L. Watson
The 6th Gordon Highlanders, attacking the trenches they had raided, reached all their objectives behind the barrage.
The History of the 51st (Highland) Division 1914-1918|Frederick William Bewsher
Just what the North Sea barrage accomplished, in the actual destruction of submarines, will never be definitely known.
The Victory At Sea|William Sowden Sims
Our barrage had lifted, but we saw no sign of advancing infantry.
Pushed and the Return Push|George Herbert Fosdike Nichols, (AKA Quex)

British Dictionary definitions for barrage

barrage

/ (ˈbærɑːʒ) /

noun

military the firing of artillery to saturate an area, either to protect against an attack or to support an advance

an overwhelming and continuous delivery of something, as words, questions, or punches

a usually gated construction, similar to a low dam, across a watercourse, esp one to increase the depth of water to assist navigation or irrigation

fencing a heat or series of bouts in a competition

verb

(tr) to attack or confront with a barragethe speaker was barraged with abuse

Word Origin for barrage

C19: from French, from barrer to obstruct; see bar 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for barrage

barrage

1859, "action of barring; man-made barrier in a stream," from French barrer "to stop," from barre "bar," from Old French barre (see bar (n.1)). Artillery sense is 1916, from World War I French phrase tir de barrage "barrier fire" intended to isolate the objective. As a verb by 1917. Related: Barraged; barraging.