Word
Definition
n. a wall or fence built quickly to block a road or path. People often use them to stop others from entering a place or to protect themselves during a fight.
n. a temporary wall or barrier constructed to obstruct passage or provide protection. Often assembled from improvised materials such as vehicles, furniture, or debris during civil unrest or military operations.
Examples
“The protesters built a barricade across the main street.”
“Police officers stood behind a heavy metal barricade to manage the crowd during the parade.”
“The rebels reinforced their makeshift barricade with sandbags and overturned carts, hoping to hold the narrow alleyway against the advancing security forces until nightfall.”
Examples
simple
“The protesters built a barricade across the main street.”
contextual
“Police officers stood behind a heavy metal barricade to manage the crowd during the parade.”
complex
“The rebels reinforced their makeshift barricade with sandbags and overturned carts, hoping to hold the narrow alleyway against the advancing security forces until nightfall.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'build', 'erect', or 'storm'.
Real-World Examples
“They said “security forces identified dozens of rioters who had barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home while Palestinian residents were inside”, the statement said.” “Once, when Rawlinson spotted an enemy barricade near Ypres, he concealed the Hudson behind a hedge and opened fire with his machine gun on a German officer and a motorcycle courier, killing both men.” Etymology
The noun is borrowed from French barricade, or an assimilation of the earlier barricado to the French form. The verb is from the noun or French barricader.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/barricade
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR