barking 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of bark
as in peeling
to remove the natural covering of barking a tree will probably kill it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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barking

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of bark
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

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 barking
Verb
With the Indiana Fever holding an 81-75 lead during a third-quarter timeout, Cloud began barking toward Freedom, who was seated courtside. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Rather than having dog kennels lined up across from each other like in traditional shelters, the New Leash on Life design will have kennels on one side facing a hallway to reduce barking and stress. — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 She was awakened in the middle of the night by her barking dog and the sound of a woman screaming in the street. — City News Service, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026 While some Boeing planes also use PTUs, the mechanism is different and doesn’t produce the same barking sound. — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026 Instead of barking back, his commander accepted the boundary and deferred the task to the following week. — Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 The health section shows activity, sleep, heart rate, respiratory rate, scratching, and barking. — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 Each day, the women were woken at six, with the sounds of stomping boots and barking dogs. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 As umpires took the field and walked by the Braves' dugout on the third base side, Sale began barking. — ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barking
  1. peeling
  2. shouting
  3. snarling
  4. yelling
  5. screaming
  6. growling
Verb
  • According to Chicago Public Schools, reports of peeling paint and possible mold in limited areas of the building were flagged earlier this month.
    — Chris Tye, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The liner immediately started peeling, and algae formed at the top of the pool, with pieces of lining floating on top.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of peeling
Verb
  • Visually, the entire set was stunning, with fast cuts of Nancy Whang pounding on her keyboard, Al Doyle whirring his synthesizer, and Murphy shouting into his microphone, wrapped around his arm.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
  • During a third-quarter timeout with Indiana leading 81-75, Cloud began shouting toward Freedom at courtside and Freedom responded, prompting security to escort the former NBA center from the arena as the Fever went on to pull away for a 113-90 win.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of shouting
Verb
  • Atlanta police said a man was struck and killed on the Downtown Connector near Williams Street, snarling the morning commute for hours.
    — Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The 2012 Olympic gold medalist was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021 after snarling, dunking and driving with full force every play, every night.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of snarling
Verb
  • During the protest, Lander was approached by individuals calling him a Zionist and yelling profanities.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Law enforcement responded to an apartment after receiving calls from neighbors about yelling.
    — Dave Boucher, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of yelling
Verb
  • That screaming maximum seems like something from a motor world made increasingly distant by turbochargers, hybrid systems and electric motors.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Imagine for a minute a Trojans defense with Luke Wafle, the nation’s top prospect in 2026, screaming off the edge a la the Bosa Bros at Ohio State.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • As Koji’s character is thrust into a cage at an underground prison brawl, Momoa’s Blanka can be heard growling off screen.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026
  • This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
Definition of growling

Browse Nearby Words

barkeeps
barking
barks
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Cite this Entry

“Barking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barking. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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