Phrasal verb
barge in
Definition
phrasal verb. to enter a room or join a conversation suddenly and rudely without being invited.
phrasal verb. to enter a space or interrupt a situation abruptly and without permission; carries a strong connotation of social clumsiness or lack of consideration for others' privacy.
Examples
“I was sleeping when my brother decided to barge in.”
“It is very rude to barge in on a private meeting without knocking first.”
“The investigators decided to barge in during the suspect's dinner, hoping the element of surprise would prevent him from destroying any evidence.”
Examples
simple
“I was sleeping when my brother decided to barge in.”
contextual
“It is very rude to barge in on a private meeting without knocking first.”
complex
“The investigators decided to barge in during the suspect's dinner, hoping the element of surprise would prevent him from destroying any evidence.”
Usage
often used with the preposition 'on' when followed by a person or an activity.
Teaching tip
anchor the meaning with the physical image of a 'barge' (a heavy boat) pushing through water to help students remember the sense of forceful, clumsy movement.
Pitfall
He barged in the room.
He barged into the room.
use 'into' for a physical space or 'on' for a situation; 'in' alone is used when no object follows.
Phrasal verb
Particles
in
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
barge + in (+ on + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/barge-in