Meaning & use
barbed
Having sharp, backward-pointing spikes designed to prevent easy removal, as on wire or a hook.
See it in a sentence
The farmer strung barbed wire along the fence to keep cattle from wandering off.
The old fishhook had a barbed tip that made it painful to pull out.
A note on using this word
Frequently used figuratively for a barbed comment or barbed wit, meaning sharply critical despite a polite surface.
Words with a similar meaning
spikedhooked
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Deliberately hurtful or critical, though often delivered in a seemingly casual or witty manner.
Her barbed remark about his cooking left him embarrassed in front of the guests.
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