barred
Americanadjective
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provided with one or more bars.
a barred prison window.
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striped; streaked.
barred fabrics.
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Ornithology. (of feathers) marked with transverse bands of distinctive color.
Etymology
Origin of barred
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at bar 1, -ed 3
Explanation
Something that is barred prevents your entry. If you are trying to sneak into your friend's house, avoid the barred windows. To be barred is to be blocked from entrance or not allowed to do something — as if there were imaginary bars in your path. The adjective barred comes from the noun bar, and it's easy to remember if you picture the classic barred cell where inmates are confined. Barred can also describe something that is marked with bars, like a barred owl.
Vocabulary lists containing barred
The Voice That Challenged a Nation
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RBG's Brave & Brilliant Women
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Kareem Between
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Deller will be added to the College of Policing's barred list, meaning he will not be able to serve in policing again.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
The New York Times reported Tuesday that two of the fraternity brothers were expelled, two more were suspended, and one who had already graduated was barred from campus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Hammami was previously barred from flying by Oman Air over concerns of extremist ideology, but FlyDubai did not vet him with Oman before hiring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
The court has barred public release of the names of the dead miners or their family members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
He closed his eyes and immediately he must have slept, for when he looked up again the small barred window was black and a bright light burned in the hall.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
