: one that barks
especially
: a person who advertises by hawking at an entrance to a show
: one that removes or prepares bark
Examples of barker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew O’Hagan, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
In the days before the arrival of 20th-century mass media, politicians, barkers and buskers often found eager audiences by simply mounting a soapbox, a flour barrel or even climbing a ladder on a crowded street — at least if the police did not object.
—Michael Jackman, Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024
In a short time, Santos had fashioned himself into one of the most fascinating carnival barkers of recent memory.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2023
Expect the sounds of midway barkers as games beep and buzz.
—Tommy Cummings, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023
For the past eighteen years, Breen has spent nine months of every year out on the road, traveling the country with the company—first as a sword-swallower, then as a front-talker (never call them carnival barkers), later as a partner, and now as the sole proprietor.
—David Hill, Harper's Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022
Two chairs sit outside most of the stores all day, where a staffer can sit, part security guard, part carnival barker.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 15 June 2023
The party that once dined out on the elegant optimism of Ronald Reagan and the combative intelligence of William Buckley has been hijacked by a narcissistic carnival barker and his mob of conspiracy theorists, science deniers and Christo-fascists.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2022
In season 1, Aaron portrayed Danny Bailey, a carnival barker with unrequited feelings for Melissa in the 1950s storyline.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 11 June 2023
Noun
The carnival barker and the charismatic goof, the superfan and the mad accountant—these types belong to a sunset tale of diminishing power.
—Andrew O’Hagan, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
In the days before the arrival of 20th-century mass media, politicians, barkers and buskers often found eager audiences by simply mounting a soapbox, a flour barrel or even climbing a ladder on a crowded street — at least if the police did not object.
—Michael Jackman, Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024
In a short time, Santos had fashioned himself into one of the most fascinating carnival barkers of recent memory.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2023
Expect the sounds of midway barkers as games beep and buzz.
—Tommy Cummings, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023
For the past eighteen years, Breen has spent nine months of every year out on the road, traveling the country with the company—first as a sword-swallower, then as a front-talker (never call them carnival barkers), later as a partner, and now as the sole proprietor.
—David Hill, Harper's Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022
Two chairs sit outside most of the stores all day, where a staffer can sit, part security guard, part carnival barker.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 15 June 2023
The party that once dined out on the elegant optimism of Ronald Reagan and the combative intelligence of William Buckley has been hijacked by a narcissistic carnival barker and his mob of conspiracy theorists, science deniers and Christo-fascists.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2022
In season 1, Aaron portrayed Danny Bailey, a carnival barker with unrequited feelings for Melissa in the 1950s storyline.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 11 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near barker
Cite this Entry
“Barker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barker. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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