easy
The barren field had no flowers.
What does Barren mean?
Barren means mostly empty and not growing much.
Dictionary definition
Empty, plain, or lacking much life, growth, or comfort.
Example sentences
Barren in a sentence
medium
The story described a barren island with few trees.
hard
The barren setting made the scene feel lonely and harsh.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Barren
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does barren mean?
Barren means mostly empty and not growing much.
Practice 2
Which word or phrase is closest in meaning to barren?
Empty is closest because it connects to this meaning: Barren means mostly empty and not growing much.
Practice 3
Which word or phrase is a useful contrast to barren?
Fertile is a useful contrast because barren means: Barren means mostly empty and not growing much.
Practice complete
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Barren
Voice settings
Sounds like
bair · un · strongest beat: bair
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordBarren.
Partadjective.
MeaningBarren means mostly empty and not growing much.
ExampleExample: The barren field had no flowers.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- bair · un
- Strongest beat
- bair
- Ending
- un
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on bair.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Barren
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice barren synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The landscape looked barren after months without rain," then compare close word choices. Practice barren synonyms.
Word family
Barren word family
Base word
barren
noun
barrenness
The state of being barren.
adverb
barrenly
In a barren way.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Barren
Hint for students
Barren means empty-looking or not able to grow much.
Common mix-up
Barren is stronger than plain empty. It often suggests little growth, life, or usefulness.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: The story described a barren island with few trees. Clue words: story, described, island. Underline clue words that show why barren fits instead of fertile. Now write one new sentence that shows barren without using the word barren. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show barren?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "The story described a barren island with few trees." Why does barren fit better than fertile?
Learning activities
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