barren

American  

[bar-uhn] / ˈbær ən /

adjective

1. not producing or incapable of producing offspring; sterile.

   a barren woman.

   Synonyms:

   infertile, unprolific, childless

   Antonyms:

   fertile

2. unproductive; unfruitful.

   barren land.

   Synonyms:

   waste, infertile

   Antonyms:

   fertile

3. without capacity to interest or attract.

   a barren period in American architecture.

   Antonyms:

   fertile

4. mentally unproductive; dull; stupid.

   Antonyms:

   fertile

5. not producing results; fruitless.

   a barren effort.

   Synonyms:

   ineffective, ineffectual

   Antonyms:

   fertile

6. destitute; bereft; lacking (usually followed byof ).

   barren of tender feelings.

   Antonyms:

   fertile

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noun

1. Usually barrens. level or slightly rolling land, usually with a sandy soil and few trees, and relatively infertile.

barren British  

/ ˈbærən /

adjective

1. incapable of producing offspring, seed, or fruit; sterile

   a barren tree

2. unable to support the growth of crops, etc; unproductive; bare

   barren land

3. lacking in stimulation or ideas; dull

   a rather barren play

4. not producing worthwhile results; unprofitable

   a barren period in a writer's life

5. (foll by of) totally lacking (in); devoid (of)

   his speech was barren of wit

6. (of rock strata) having no fossils

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Related Words

See bare ¹.

Other Word Forms

• barrenly adverb
• barrenness noun
• unbarren adjective
• unbarrenly adverb
• unbarrenness noun

Etymology

Origin of barren

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English barayn(e), bareyn(e), from Anglo-French barai(gn)e, Old French brahaigne ( French bréhaigne “sterile”), akin to Spanish breña “scrubby, uncultivated ground,” Upper Italian barena “land along a lagoon covered by high water,” all of disputed ultimate origin; perhaps from Celtic (compare Irish branar, Welsh braenar “fallow land”); alternatively, perhaps from a Germanic source akin to Old English bær, Old High German bar ( bare ¹ ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

The project has been implementing several methods in three southern areas, including digging water canals and supplying electricity to pump water from the Euphrates river, preparing barren lands for vegetation.

From Barron's

Since she hired staff to deal with it, areas that were barren ground have begun bursting with oxlips and early purple orchids.

From BBC

I do not believe England's long barren run in Australia is down to the quality of their players.

From BBC

In these cases, intense grazing by urchins can strip seafloors of plant life, damaging marine habitats and creating so-called "urchin barrens."

From Science Daily

One trouble the author faces is advancing age, an obvious complication for anyone scaling a rocky summit or padding through barren winter wastes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• arid
• desolate
• empty
• impoverished
• infertile
• parched
• sterile