barring

American

[bahr-ing] / ˈbɑr ɪŋ /

preposition

excepting; except for.

Barring accidents, I'll be there.

barring British

/ ˈbɑːrɪŋ /

preposition

unless (something) occurs; except for

barring rain, the match will be held tomorrow

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of barring

First recorded in 1475–85; bar ¹ + -ing ²

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:

barring

Apple said it was seeking damages and an injunction barring OpenAI from using its confidential information, calling the lawsuit necessary after OpenAI failed to respond to concerns the company raised in February.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

Cuba imposed draconian rules, he said, barring doctors from leaving their quarters after 6 p.m.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

The foul came with a one-game suspension, barring Balogun from playing against Belgium tonight at 8 Eastern.

From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026

But on 10 June, a Utah judge issued a temporary injunction barring Schneider from posting about the dispute anymore.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

The high hedge curved with them, running off into the distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought-iron gates barring the men’s way.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023