as in insults
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
delivered one last barb to his ex-girlfriend as he stalked away
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Recent Examples of barbs
There is a host of information like temperature (red line), dewpoint (green line), winds (barbs on the right), stability information (useful for storm potential), and precipitable water (helpful in assessing flood potential).
—
Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
While the utility companies and political leaders exchange barbs over electric bills and profitability, Wall Street has been issuing warnings about the health of the utility sector.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
Paxton has been a noted critic of Cornyn, especially after the senator threw barbs at him during his impeachment trial.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Mar. 2025
Ted and Harvey are buddies, trading barbs and game plans.
—Ayan Artan, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2025
As the trade barbs flew Wednesday, stocks gave up earlier gains seen following a better-than-expected inflation report that appeared to offer short-term relief.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025
But Moscow and London have been trading diplomatic barbs for years, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 poisoned relations between the two countries.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Does the carbon trapped in its barbs affect a bird’s ability to regulate its own body temperature?
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
As smoke engulfed the city, valuable bits of evidence accumulated in the feathers’ once-white barbs.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
While the utility companies and political leaders exchange barbs over electric bills and profitability, Wall Street has been issuing warnings about the health of the utility sector.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
Paxton has been a noted critic of Cornyn, especially after the senator threw barbs at him during his impeachment trial.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Mar. 2025
Ted and Harvey are buddies, trading barbs and game plans.
—Ayan Artan, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2025
As the trade barbs flew Wednesday, stocks gave up earlier gains seen following a better-than-expected inflation report that appeared to offer short-term relief.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025
But Moscow and London have been trading diplomatic barbs for years, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 poisoned relations between the two countries.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Does the carbon trapped in its barbs affect a bird’s ability to regulate its own body temperature?
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
As smoke engulfed the city, valuable bits of evidence accumulated in the feathers’ once-white barbs.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Barbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbs. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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