: a cereal grass (genus Hordeum and especially H. vulgare) having the flowers in dense spikes with long awns and three spikelets at each joint of the rachis
also
: its seed used especially in malt beverages, breakfast foods, and stock feeds
Examples of barley in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One study suggests that sulfite sensitivity may affect up to 10% of people with asthma.
Grains
Beer and some spirits contain wheat, barley, or rye, which may trigger reactions in people with grain or gluten allergies.
—
Lauryn Higgins, Time, 22 July 2025
Other whole-grain options include quinoa, barley, farro, or bulgur.
—Brittany Poulson, Verywell Health, 21 July 2025
In Manitoba, barley and canola are substitutes for farmers.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 20 July 2025
Rye, barley or wheat, blended vegetables, raw meat.
—Eileen Finan, People.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for barley
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lauryn Higgins, Time, 22 July 2025
Other whole-grain options include quinoa, barley, farro, or bulgur.
—Brittany Poulson, Verywell Health, 21 July 2025
In Manitoba, barley and canola are substitutes for farmers.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 20 July 2025
Rye, barley or wheat, blended vegetables, raw meat.
—Eileen Finan, People.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for barley
Cite this Entry
“Barley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barley. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barley
noun
bar·ley
ˈbär-lē 
: a cereal grass with flowers in dense spikes
also
: its seed used especially in malt beverages, in foods (as soups and cereals), or as feed for livestock
Medical Definition
barley
noun
bar·ley
ˈbär-lē
: a cereal grass (genus Hordeum, especially H. vulgare) having the flowers in dense spikes with long awns
also
: its seed used in malt beverages and in breakfast foods and stock feeds
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share