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.

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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

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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

Explanation

A barrage is something that comes quickly and heavily — as an attack of bullets or artillery, or a fast spray of words. Sometimes in movies or news footage, the audience gets a glimpse from behind a mounted weapon and sees a heavy rain of bombs or bullets — called a barrage — going toward a target, sending as much POW! as possible to hit a wide area. Words become a barrage when spoken or written in uncontrollable anger or with overflowing emotion: "Her human-rights speech was a barrage of passion. It was hard to keep up with, but we felt the intensity of her cause."

Example Sentences

A step up into a barrage of heavy runners and tricky questions.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

One big point in stocks’ favor: While rates have been gradually drifting upwards, nothing like 2022’s barrage of rate hikes is on the table, at least so far.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Meanwhile, I deal with a continual barrage of challenges great and small, most of them welcome.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Trapped in a surreal captivity, each day seemed to bring a barrage of dramatic news, yet nothing seemed to change.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Hideo is standing before a podium and facing a barrage of flashing lights.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Related Words

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