barbed
/ˈbɑɹbd/
adjective
Familiar
1.adj.capable of wounding
“a barbed compliment”
2.adj.having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.
“a horse with a short bristly mane”
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barbed and barred differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. barbed means “capable of wounding”. barred means “preventing entry or exit or a course of action”.
/ˈbɑɹbd/
1.adj.capable of wounding
“a barbed compliment”
2.adj.having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.
“a horse with a short bristly mane”
/ˈbɑɹd/
1.adj.preventing entry or exit or a course of action
“a barricaded street”
2.adj.marked with stripes or bands
| barbed | barred | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɑɹbd/ | /ˈbɑɹd/ |
| Said | bahrbd | bahrd |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Senses | 2 | 2 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | biting, nipping, pungent | barricaded, blockaded |
Full entry for barbed · Full entry for barred · More comparisons