bar·ri·cade
ˈber-ə-ˌkād 
ˈba-rə-;
ˌber-ə-ˈkād,
ˌba-rə-
barricaded; barricading
1
: to block off or stop up with a barricade
barricade a street
2
: to prevent access to by means of a barricade
1
a
: an obstruction or rampart thrown up across a way or passage to check the advance of the enemy
b
2
3
barricades plural
: a field of combat or dispute
Synonyms
Examples of barricade in a Sentence
Verb
The police barricaded the crime scene.
the city barricaded the flooded streets to through traffic
Noun
The enemy broke through the barricade.
Police erected barricades to keep the crowds from approaching the crime scene.
Recent Examples on the Web
CBS News, 26 Apr. 2024
Inside Siemens Hall, students and community members have barricaded themselves in the administrative building, and have no plans to leave until campus leadership supports a permanent ceasefie in Gaza, and divests from companies that support the Israeli military.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
The dispute reached a critical point on Jan. 31, 2023, when tribal officials barricaded four roads on the reservation, cutting off the only road access to the homes of non-tribal residents of some 65 properties.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
Police said several people willingly came out of the residence after the officers arrived, but the suspect refused to exit and barricaded himself inside.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024
Officers arrived to find an armed male who had barricaded himself in a room, the release said.
—Remington Miller, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Moyer barricaded himself in his home but eventually surrendered and was taken into custody, the Lehighton Borough Police Department said.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024
Russia hits energy targets in Ukraine, showing need for more air defenses
Initial reports by Russian media suggested that some assailants might have barricaded themselves inside and that there could be at least 100 people still in the building — some potentially trapped by fire on an upper floor.
—Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
After police arrived, Bledsoe barricaded himself in a room and was holding a woman there against her will, officials said.
—The Enquirer, 29 Feb. 2024
Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2024
Despite the area being closed to the public that day and blocked by fencing, prosecutors say Schubert and others breached the police barricades in this area and made their way to West Plaza.
—Michael Moore Jr., Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
Despite signage and barricades intended to direct pedestrians and bicycles away from the closed canal bank, some unwary types continue along the restricted area.
—Trilce Estrada Olvera, The Arizona Republic, 15 Feb. 2024
Less than a week has elapsed since a mammoth ocean freighter struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, marooning the Port of Baltimore behind a barricade of crooked steel and shattered concrete.
—David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
Gaza protesters interrupt fundraiser Ahead of the show, supporters lined barricades along the streets as the motorcade with the three presidents arrived.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
During winter months, most of the adjacent Empire State Plaza is also walled off with temporary barricades to keep people from slipping and getting hurt on the icy plaza — even though there has hardly been any snow or ice this winter.
—Jay Root, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
As that standoff was under way, SWAT officers responded to a second, unrelated barricade situation in Kearny Mesa.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024
But we were let out — myself and two Brazilian basketball players — behind the barricade somehow.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024
Verb
Adam Gray/Getty Images California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, has been negotiating with students who have been barricaded inside a campus building since Monday, rebuffing an attempt by the police to clear them out.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2024
Inside Siemens Hall, students and community members have barricaded themselves in the administrative building, and have no plans to leave until campus leadership supports a permanent ceasefie in Gaza, and divests from companies that support the Israeli military.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
The dispute reached a critical point on Jan. 31, 2023, when tribal officials barricaded four roads on the reservation, cutting off the only road access to the homes of non-tribal residents of some 65 properties.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
Police said several people willingly came out of the residence after the officers arrived, but the suspect refused to exit and barricaded himself inside.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024
Officers arrived to find an armed male who had barricaded himself in a room, the release said.
—Remington Miller, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Moyer barricaded himself in his home but eventually surrendered and was taken into custody, the Lehighton Borough Police Department said.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024
Russia hits energy targets in Ukraine, showing need for more air defenses
Initial reports by Russian media suggested that some assailants might have barricaded themselves inside and that there could be at least 100 people still in the building — some potentially trapped by fire on an upper floor.
—Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
After police arrived, Bledsoe barricaded himself in a room and was holding a woman there against her will, officials said.
—The Enquirer, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
In early April, demonstrators scaled police barricades outside the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem.
—Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2024
Despite the area being closed to the public that day and blocked by fencing, prosecutors say Schubert and others breached the police barricades in this area and made their way to West Plaza.
—Michael Moore Jr., Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
Despite signage and barricades intended to direct pedestrians and bicycles away from the closed canal bank, some unwary types continue along the restricted area.
—Trilce Estrada Olvera, The Arizona Republic, 15 Feb. 2024
Less than a week has elapsed since a mammoth ocean freighter struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, marooning the Port of Baltimore behind a barricade of crooked steel and shattered concrete.
—David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
Gaza protesters interrupt fundraiser Ahead of the show, supporters lined barricades along the streets as the motorcade with the three presidents arrived.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
During winter months, most of the adjacent Empire State Plaza is also walled off with temporary barricades to keep people from slipping and getting hurt on the icy plaza — even though there has hardly been any snow or ice this winter.
—Jay Root, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
As that standoff was under way, SWAT officers responded to a second, unrelated barricade situation in Kearny Mesa.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024
But we were let out — myself and two Brazilian basketball players — behind the barricade somehow.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barricade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near barricade
Cite this Entry
“Barricade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barricade. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barricade
1 of 2 verb
bar·ri·cade
ˈbar-ə-ˌkād
ˌbar-ə-ˈkād
barricaded; barricading
: to block off with a barricade
barricade
2 of 2 noun
: a barrier usually made in a hurry for protection against attack or for blocking the way
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