adj

barren

BA-ruhn

adj

Not producing crops, plants, or life; unproductive land.

"Nothing grew in the barren stretch of desert for miles."

"Years of drought left the fields barren."

Lacking in interest, ideas, or results.

"The negotiations proved barren, with neither side willing to compromise."

(dated, of a person or animal) Unable to have children or offspring.

"In the old story, the couple prayed for years, believing themselves barren."

How to Use Barren

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEmpty and unproductive — describing land that grows nothing, or, more figuratively, ideas or efforts that lead nowhere.

When to use it

Using barren to describe a person unable to have children is now considered old-fashioned and can sound harsh; infertile is the more neutral modern term.

Common pairings

barren land barren landscape barren wasteland

Word Forms

barrener comparative, more barren comparative, barrens plural, barrenest superlative, most barren superlative

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Nothing grew in the _____ stretch of desert for miles.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman baraigne ("sterile"), probably from a Germanic root related to "bare."

Synonyms

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sterile fruitless

Antonyms

fertile fruitful

Related Words

sterile infertile fertile prolific fruitless plentiful futile productive

Rhymes for barren

warren Darren

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