BARRIER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does barrier mean? 

• BARRIER (noun)
  The noun BARRIER has 3 senses:

1. a structure or object that impedes free movement

2. any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective

3. anything serving to maintain separation by obstructing vision or access

  Familiarity information: BARRIER used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BARRIER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A structure or object that impedes free movement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("barrier" is a kind of...):

impediment; impedimenta; obstructer; obstruction; obstructor (any structure that makes progress difficult)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "barrier"):

barricade (a barrier (usually thrown up hastily) to impede the advance of an enemy)

starting gate; starting stall (a movable barrier on the starting line of a race course)

barricade; roadblock (a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc.)

revetment (a barrier against explosives)

rail; railing (a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports)

movable barrier (a barrier that can be moved to allow passage)

hurdle (a light movable barrier that competitors must leap over in certain races)

grate; grating (a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air)

fender; wing (a barrier that surrounds the wheels of a vehicle to block splashing water or mud)

fence; fencing (a barrier that serves to enclose an area)

dam; dike; dyke (a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea)

crash barrier (a strong protective barrier that is erected around a racetrack or in the middle of a dual-lane highway in order to reduce the likelihood of severe accidents)

bulwark (a fencelike structure around a deck (usually plural))

breakwater; bulwark; groin; groyne; jetty; mole; seawall (a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away)

balusters; balustrade; banister; bannister; handrail (a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

barrier; roadblock

Context example:

intolerance is a barrier to understanding

Hypernyms ("barrier" is a kind of...):

obstacle; obstruction (something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "barrier"):

color barrier (the barrier preventing Blacks from participating in various activities with whites)

ideological barrier (a barrier to cooperation or interaction resulting from conflicting ideologies)

language barrier (barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Anything serving to maintain separation by obstructing vision or access

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("barrier" is a kind of...):

mechanism (a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "barrier"):

bar (a submerged (or partly submerged) ridge in a river or along a shore)

blood-brain barrier (a mechanism that creates a barrier between brain tissues and circulating blood; serves to protect the central nervous system)

curtain (any barrier to communication or vision)

 Context examples 

This disease usually results from debilitation (as in immunosuppression and especially AIDS), physiologic change, prolonged administration of antibiotics, and iatrogenic and barrier breakage.

(Oropharyngeal Candidiasis, NCI Thesaurus)

Once the barrier is opened, anticancer drugs may be infused into an artery that goes to the brain, in order to treat brain tumors.

(BBBD, NCI Dictionary)

Unlike other anthracycline derivatives, this agent crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and can circumvent P glycoprotein/MRP1-mediated efflux.

(Berubicin, NCI Thesaurus)

Unlike other anthracycline derivatives, this agent crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

(Berubicin Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

The blood-brain barrier lets some substances, such as water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and general anesthetics, pass into the brain.

(Blood-brain barrier, NCI Dictionary)

Upon administration, VAL-083 crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB) and appears to be selective for tumor cells.

(Bi-functional Alkylating Agent VAL-083, NCI Thesaurus)

During colonization of the GI tract, the bacteria may form a protective intestinal barrier, thereby preventing attachment of potential pathogens.

(Beta-glucan/Lactobacillus casei/Bifidobacterium lactis-based Supplement, NCI Thesaurus)

How her heart swelled with joy and gratitude as she passed the barriers of Portsmouth, and how Susan's face wore its broadest smiles, may be easily conceived.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

These include static microisolator housing, handling animals with disinfected forceps, opening animal cages only in a hood, cage-by-cage testing and requiring that full barrier garb be worn by all persons entering animal rooms.

(Barrier Animal Facility Shared Resource, NCI Thesaurus)

The CTZ is located in the area postrema on the dorsal surface of the medulla oblongata at the caudal end of the fourth ventricle and outside the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

(Palonosetron hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)