as in shouting
to speak sharply or irritably
the new supervisor found that speaking to people with a civil tongue got better results than barking at them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barking
Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
There’s a lot of barking, and suddenly the big fella hops onto the wood platform, sending the other pinnipeds jostling for a new spot in the sun or diving back into the water.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Chonkers barking, with a crowd gathered around the railing.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
Loose pucks When Jeremy Swayman was pulled in the third period Sunday, he was seen barking at his teammates on the bench.
—Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
Rather than barking, jumping or making a scene, the goldendoodle used a deliberate shoulder tap — a physical gesture that resembled how a person might get someone’s attention — and then waited patiently for the woman to respond.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
The family dog and their car were both outside, and the dog had been out for some time barking, according to the report.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Even the signs of urgency, like barking dogs and sirens, sound glazed over; everything comes shrouded in an indica plume.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
In the video, the pup can be seen barking and wagging her tail, jumping up to scratch at the door lite as Koch approaches from outside.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
They were alerted when one of the two suspects allegedly tried to open the back door of the home but ran from the area after one of the homeowner's dogs started barking inside.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
There’s a lot of barking, and suddenly the big fella hops onto the wood platform, sending the other pinnipeds jostling for a new spot in the sun or diving back into the water.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Chonkers barking, with a crowd gathered around the railing.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
Loose pucks When Jeremy Swayman was pulled in the third period Sunday, he was seen barking at his teammates on the bench.
—Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
Rather than barking, jumping or making a scene, the goldendoodle used a deliberate shoulder tap — a physical gesture that resembled how a person might get someone’s attention — and then waited patiently for the woman to respond.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
The family dog and their car were both outside, and the dog had been out for some time barking, according to the report.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Even the signs of urgency, like barking dogs and sirens, sound glazed over; everything comes shrouded in an indica plume.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
In the video, the pup can be seen barking and wagging her tail, jumping up to scratch at the door lite as Koch approaches from outside.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barking. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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