English Reference
Noun

barricade

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈbæɹəˌkeɪd/ UK /bˈæɹɪkˌeɪd/ bar·ri·cade UK spelling barricade's, barricade's, barricaded

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.


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'.

They said “security forces identified dozens of rioters who had barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home while Palestinian residents were inside”, the statement said.

The Guardian· 29 Aug 2026

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.

Smithsonian Magazine· 1 Sept 2026

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.

This entry
Origin French barricader
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated