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language barrier

American  
[lang-gwij bar-ee-er] / ˈlæŋ gwɪdʒ ˌbær i ər /

noun

language barriers plural
  1. difficulty in communicating due to the lack of a shared language.

    International adoption is not easy, especially when there is a language barrier.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of language barrier

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

See Examples For:

The two housekeepers denied that conversation with Brown took place, and said the language barrier would have made such a discussion unlikely.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2026

"Cultures are different, not to mention the language barrier," the mayor said, urging "mutual support and consideration".

From Barron's Mar. 20, 2026

Turns out, it wasn’t a language barrier, it was a sound barrier.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 31, 2025

Historically, some U.S. listeners have struggled to embrace K-pop because of the language barrier, or found the genre’s melodic digressions and stop-start rhythms jarring, as if three songs are crammed into one.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 27, 2025

But the language barrier didn't prevent her love of American television.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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