How to pronounce barren
Say it like BAR-un. Barren has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce barren. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAR
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Barren pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of barren
American and British speakers say barren in essentially the same way: /ˈbærən/ in the US and /ˈbærən/ in the UK.
British respelling: BAR-un.
Other ways to say barren
Barren also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- BER-un /ˈbɛrən/
What does barren mean?
- An area of low fertility and habitation, a desolate place.
- In particular, a usually elevated and flat expanse of land that only supports the growth of small trees and shrubs, and sometimes mosses or heathers, berries, and other marshy or moory vegetation, but little agriculture and few people.“The pine barrens are a site lonely enough to suit any hermit.”
- Not bearing children, childless; hence also unable to bear children, sterile.“I silently wept as my daughter's husband rejected her. What would she do now that she was no longer a maiden but also barren?”
- Not bearing seed or fruit.
- Of poor fertility, infertile; not producing vegetation; desert, waste.
Where does barren come from?
From Middle English bareyne, from Anglo-Norman baraigne, baraing (“sterile; barren”), of obscure origin; probably from a Germanic language, perhaps Frankish *baʀ (“bare; barren”), from Proto-Germanic *bazaz (“bare”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with barren
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of barren.
Words that sound like barren
Questions about saying barren
How do you pronounce barren?
Say BAR-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈbærən/. In British English it is /ˈbærən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in barren?
Barren has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAR). Broken into parts: BAR · un.
Do Americans and Brits say barren the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbærən/ and the British form is /ˈbærən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as barren?
Barren sounds the same as baron in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.