barren

[bar-uhn]

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

noun

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

barren

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of barren¹

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. ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of barren¹

C13: from Old French brahain , of uncertain origin

Synonym Study

See bare ¹.

Example Sentences

The traditional view of early Earth portrays a barren planet until plants appeared about 500 million years ago.

Read more on Science Daily

But the usually barren landscape has been transformed by a carpet of colourful wildflowers, which have been brought to life by significant rainfall during the southern hemisphere's winter months.

Read more on BBC

His employers risk being saddled with stars on the decline and a barren farm system after his departure.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This connection was severed, drying the Red Sea into a barren salt desert.

Read more on Science Daily

But when wasting disease in effect wiped out their main predator, the sea urchins exploded in number, decimating kelp forests and transforming once-lush underwater habitats into so-called urchin barrens.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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