barrage

American  

[buh-rahzh, bar-ahzh, bahr-ij] / bəˈrɑʒ, ˈbær ɑʒ, ˈbɑr ɪdʒ /

noun

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

2. an overwhelming quantity or explosion, as of words, blows, or criticisms.

   a barrage of questions.

   Synonyms:

   storm, burst, deluge, torrent, volley

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

4. 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)

barraged, barraging

1. to subject to a barrage.

barrage British  

/ ˈbærɑːʒ /

noun

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

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

3. 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

4. fencing a heat or series of bouts in a competition

---

verb

1. (tr) to attack or confront with a barrage

   the speaker was barraged with abuse

Etymology

Origin of barrage

1855–60; < French: blocking, barring off, barrier, equivalent to barr ( er ) to bar ¹ + -age -age; artillery sense by ellipsis from French tir de barrage barrier fire

Example Sentences

Hosting a gathering for relatives can sometimes come with a barrage of questions and requests that can feel almost punitive.

From MarketWatch

Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Darnell Weaver called it an “endless barrage of misinformation, disinformation, rumors, leaks and click bait.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Some bankers and fund managers worry the stock market might struggle to handle the barrage of expected new issuance next year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over the weekend more than a million households in Ukraine were left without electricity following a barrage of strikes.

From BBC

This week, the stakes are high as a barrage of delayed economic data, coupled with a marketwide index rebalance, threaten to stir up volatility.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• assault
• attack
• blast
• bombardment
• burst
• deluge
• hail
• onslaught
• rain
• shower
• storm
• stream
• surge
• torrent