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barrier Definition

bar·rier (barē ər, ber-)

noun

  1. Obsolete a fortress, stockade, etc. for defending an entrance or gate
  2. a thing that prevents passage or approach; obstruction, as a fence, wall, etc.
  3. anything that holds apart, separates, or hinders racial barriers, barriers to progress
  4. a customs gate on a country's border
  5. ice shelf
  6. a high fence of stakes enclosing the area in which a tournament of knights was held; lists
  7. Horse Racing the movable gate used to keep the horses in line at the starting point

Etymology: ME barrere < OFr barriere < barre, bar

barrier Synonyms

barrier

n.

barrier Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • overcome: To help overcome these barriers TP Herts applied for an Innovation into Action Grant, which was awarded in June 2003.
  • remove: ICT seen to remove barriers - or create barriers where inequalities of family income or school funding exist.
  • erect: Chinese walls are the theoretical barriers erected between departments to try and avoid any such conflicts arising.
  • lower: It may also facilitate technological progress, by reducing firms ' switching costs and so lowering barriers to entry and barriers to change.
  • perceive: The ' Parent Know How ' campaign has been developed to break down some of the perceived barriers to asking for help.
  • transcend: Hopefully, I'll be able to transcend language barriers with visual storytelling.

Adjective modifier

  • non-tariff: Indeed, studies reveal no systematic relationship between a country's average level of tariff and non-tariff barriers and its subsequent economic growth rate.
  • protective: Protective barriers to foster indigenous farming, for example, are not allowed; neither are subsidies to support poorer farmers.
  • insurmountable: Addressing These Challenges Do such challenges provide an insurmountable barrier to deployment?
  • artificial: We would not want to see any artificial barriers placed in the way of appropriate recognition of new units of assessment.
  • invisible: In the game, it looks like an invisible barrier.
  • physical: It also creates a physical barrier between the teeth to protect them from further damage.

Modifies a noun

  • reef: The islands main attraction is the spectacular barrier reef, one of the world's premier diving spots.
  • coating: The litter tray is manufactured from re-cycled fibers, with a liquid resistant barrier coating.
  • cream: However, if a baby does have diaper rash then it is advisable to use a barrier cream.

Noun used with modifier

  • blood-brain: Elan researchers have recently shown for the first time that certain monoclonal antibodies can cross the blood-brain barrier.
  • tariff: That trend to world markets is irreversible unless the major economic powers set up trade and tariff barriers.
  • species: Crossing of the species barriers in the wild is normally very rare.
  • crash: Today not only was he introduced to wet weather racing, but he also had an introduction to a crash barrier.
  • vapor: Even more importantly it also acts as a vapor barrier preventing condensation forming and steel rusting from within the inside.