BARRELS Synonyms: 307 Similar and Opposite Words

barrels 1 of 2

noun

plural of barrel

as in loads

a considerable amount a visit to an amusement park should be a barrel of laughs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tins

a metal container in the shape of a cylinder a trash barrel

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as in pipes

an enclosed wooden vessel for holding beverages barrels of fine wine aging in the winery's cellar

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barrels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of barrel

as in races

to proceed or move quickly faced with a firm deadline, we barreled through the project at a furious pace

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of barrels

Noun

David Wech, chief economist at energy intelligence firm Vortexa, told CNBC on Friday that the average over the last month has been 6 million-7 million barrels a day. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 Middle Eastern oil producers have rerouted another 2 million barrels per day around the Strait of Hormuz. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 That’s down from more than 20 million per day before the war or about one of every five barrels consumed worldwide. — Reuters, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026 This suggests at least 160 million barrels, or more than 7 million barrels per day, have transited the strait over the past three weeks, based on the military's past statements. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026 Redwood Empire Hyperion Batch 001 Redwood Empire To construct the blend, Redwood’s Jeff Duckhorn (Master Distiller) and Lauren Patz (Master Blender) selected straight whiskeys from between 50 and 100 total barrels. — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

Each episode barrels forward with the logic of a live-action cartoon, hijacking the visual language of everything from My Dinner With Andre to Dog Day Afternoon, while cramming in references to pop culture, video games, and Canadian esoterica. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026 Continue reading … POLITICS TICK TOCK — Congress barrels toward deadline pile-up as GOP divisions threaten Trump agenda. — FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026 The biggest question mark is connecting the dots from Guernsey, Wyoming to the Cushing, Oklahoma oil hub that ships barrels down to the Gulf Coast refining complexes and export terminals in Texas and Louisiana. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 13 May 2026 Read on to discover the best time to spot the fast-moving shooting stars as Earth barrels through the debris trail shed by Halley's Comet. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 May 2026 Working from his own screenplay, Cronin barrels over the gaping plot holes — a doctor might have some thoughts here — and gets to the good stuff with the family at home in squirm-inducing close quarters, a live-in demon resting in her bedroom. — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 But Lumet and screenwriter Frank Pierson ease up on the laughs as Sonny’s predicament grows more helpless, allowing the audience to feel his desperation as the drama barrels toward a tragic finale. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026 Infielder Chris Hacopian barrels a ball, but Jaquae Stewart nabs it right before the warning track. — Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026 The military success of the opening act of the current Iran war, which began with the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has bolstered the confidence of Netanyahu’s supporters as Israel barrels toward an election later this year. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barrels

Noun

The team must improve the fabrication process, scale up the laser power, and determine whether the ceramic waveguides can maintain their optical performance under much higher loads.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
The rocket planes tested reaction-control systems for maneuvering where the air was too thin for normal aerodynamic controls, while gathering data on heating, stability, structural loads, human performance and piloting techniques during reentry.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of loads

Noun

One council member, describing years of city subsidies for the bus system, said the choice came down to funding VRT or fixing broken pipes.

— Noah Daly August 20, Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026
Materials Professional agility courses where competitions are held use poles made from Polyvinyl chloride plastic pipes that are 3/4-inch thick and stand 40 inches tall.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of pipes

Verb

Finn Gomez / Getty Images Kirkwood, who races for Andretti Global, started second but took the lead on the opening lap with a daring maneuver around the outside of pole-sitter and championship leader Alex Palou in front of the National Archives.

— Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026
When Phoebe Hunt, a documentarian for Tempus Tours, discovers that a real estate heiress who didn’t return from a journey is actually a suspicious woman from Phoebe’s past, Phoebe races to stop history from being rewritten.

— Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of races

Noun

My solo album from a few years prior, Tomcats Screaming Outside, was very dark and influenced by what was going on in Bristol — drums, bass, and inspired by Massive Attack and Portishead.

— Devon Ivie, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
Beard replaced Dan Mitchell on the drums in ZZ Top in 1969 and helped recruit Hill from American Blues.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of drums

Noun

The first expression, A Moment of Reflection, which was created by master blender Rachel Barrie, is a 14-year-old single malt that was aged in Oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 46 percent ABV.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2026
The rare casks are crafted by Oregon Barrel Works from oak native to the Pacific Northwest.

— David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of casks

Verb

Saltwater speeds up rust and wear, plants need regular care, docks face storms and tides, and equipment like generators, solar panels, and desalination systems will eventually need replacing.

— Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Cubing the butter speeds things up by increasing surface area.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of speeds

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barreling

barrels

barren

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Style

“Barrels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barrels. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of barrels

noun

verb

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