Meaning of “barrier” in the English Dictionary

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"barrier" in English

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barriernoun [ C ]

uk ​ /ˈbær.i.ər/ us ​ /ˈber.i.ɚ/

barrier noun [ C ] (FENCE)

B2 a long pole, fence, wall, or natural feature, such as a mountain or sea, that stops people from going somewhere:

Barriers have been erected all along the route the Pope will take.
The mountains acted as a natural barrier to the spread of the disease.
See also
crash barrier

› UK a gate in some railway stations through which you must go to get on a train:

Passengers are requested to show their tickets at the barrier.

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(Definition of “barrier” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"barrier" in American English

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barriernoun [ C ]

us ​ /ˈbær·i·ər/

› anything used or acting to block someone from going somewhere or from doing something, or to block something from happening:

The Secret Service erected concrete barriers around the White House.
Jackie Robinson was the African-American who succeeded in breaking major league baseball’s color barrier (= use of race to block something from happening).

(Definition of “barrier” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

"barrier" in Business English

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barriernoun [ C ]

uk ​ /ˈbæriər/ us ​

› something that prevents something else from happening or makes it more difficult:

barrier (to sth) In an ideal world, there would be no barriers to the free movement of people between countries.
See also
non-tariff barrier
trade barrier

› something that keeps people or things apart:

The language barrier is less frightening in print than over the telephone.
barrier between sb/sth (and sb/sth) Lack of regular communication is named time and time again as the major barrier between management and employees.

› a number or measurement that is considered to be important or hard to reach:

The average wage in Britain has broken the £20,000 barrier.
The Dow Jones broke the 10,000 barrier early in the day, but closed down 41.85 points at 9923.42.

(Definition of “barrier” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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