razor wire

American  

noun

1. concertina wire.

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razor wire British  

noun

1. strong wire with pieces of sharp metal set across it at close intervals, used to make fences or barriers

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Compare meaning

How does razor-wire compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• razor wire vs. barbed wire

Example Sentences

She says she is adjusting to the sound of banging gates and jingling keys at Tai Lam Correctional Institution - a complex of concrete and razor wire that overlooks a thin strip of water.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Samary arrived just ahead of Gomina, his loyalist commander, at QRF headquarters, a base fortified by guard towers and razor wire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Once a symbol of cooperation, the 'Friendship Bridge' connecting the two snow-covered banks has been reinforced with rows of razor wire and anti-tank obstacles.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

It glitters from a distance: Where the 30-foot steel border fence ends, great spirals of razor wire extend up craggy mountain slopes on either side.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026

Instead he was just another repeat offender in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere, behind rows of razor wire that glinted and gleamed in the sun like jagged teeth.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger