Meaning & use
cultural barriers
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
Differences in customs, values, or language that make it hard for people from different backgrounds to understand each other or work together.
Grammar: Always plural in this fixed phrase; use the singular 'a cultural barrier' for one specific obstacle.
Patterns
- cultural barriers between A and B
- break down cultural barriers
- overcome cultural barriers
Language differences and different ideas about punctuality created cultural barriers between the two teams.
The exchange program helps students break down cultural barriers through shared projects.
Managers need training to recognize cultural barriers that stop employees from speaking up.
Common combinations
- break down cultural barriers
- International sports events can help break down cultural barriers.
- overcome cultural barriers
- The company overcame cultural barriers by hiring bilingual staff.
- cultural barriers between A and B
- There are still cultural barriers between the two communities.
- face cultural barriers
- New immigrants often face cultural barriers at work.
Synonyms and how they differ
- language barrier
- Use 'language barrier' when the problem is only about not sharing a language; 'cultural barriers' is wider and includes customs and values.
- cultural differences
- This is neutral and simply describes variety; 'cultural barriers' emphasizes that the differences cause difficulty.
Word family
- cultural adjective
- relating to the ideas, customs, and art of a society
- culture noun
- the shared customs, beliefs, and way of life of a group
- culturally adverb
- in a way that relates to culture
Commonly confused: cultural barriers or cultural barrier?
cultural barriers vs cultural barrier
The singular means one specific obstacle; the plural 'cultural barriers' refers to the whole set. Choose based on whether you mean one or many.
Practice
The exchange program was designed to ______ cultural barriers between the two schools.
Choose one answer.
'Break down' means to remove or destroy something negative like barriers; 'break up' means to end a relationship, 'break out' means to start suddenly (like a fire), and 'break in' means to enter illegally, so none of those fit barriers.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cultural barriers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.