barrier reef

Definition of barrier reefnext

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 barrier reef Roughly 15 minutes from San Pedro, the shallow patch-reef complex sits inside the main barrier reef. Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026 Just offshore lies the Mesoamerican Reef, the largest barrier reef system in the Western Hemisphere and the second-largest in the world, an extremely vulnerable ecosystem. Natalie Leticia Gallón, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026 Grace Bay consistently ranks among the world’s most beautiful beaches, partly because a barrier reef a mile offshore keeps the waters calm and free of swells. Vanita Salisbury, AFAR Media, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barrier reef
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barrier reef
coral reef
Noun
  • Specifically, Cole and her colleagues were able to learn about what ocean temperatures were like at the study locations during the past millennium by analyzing the ratio of certain isotopes present in the coral reef core samples.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The resort’s ongoing coral reef restoration project has resulted in the growth of various coral species and thriving marine habitats.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Barrier reef.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barrier%20reef. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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