What does barrage mean?
A barrage is an intense, sustained outpouring of something delivered in overwhelming volume. Its oldest sense is military: a heavy, continuous curtain of artillery fire, often laid down to shield advancing troops or to pound an enemy position. In modern usage, however, the word has largely gone figurative, describing any relentless flood — a barrage of questions from reporters, a barrage of criticism online, a barrage of phone calls after a scandal. The tone is almost always negative or at least exhausting, implying that the recipient is being battered rather than merely addressed. As a verb, 'to barrage' means to subject someone to exactly such a torrent, as in 'she was barraged with offers'. The word comes from French, where it originally named a barrier or dam across a river — a meaning that still lingers in British engineering vocabulary. Whether describing shells, tweets, or complaints, barrage captures the experience of facing far too much of something, all at once.
A heavy, continuous stream of artillery fire, or figuratively, an overwhelming succession of questions, criticisms, or similar things delivered in rapid volume.
"The interview quickly turned into a barrage of pointed questions about the company's finances."
Almost always used with 'of' in the figurative sense, e.g. 'a barrage of complaints'.
To bombard someone with a continuous, overwhelming stream of questions, messages, blows, or other things.
"Fans barraged the singer with requests for selfies as she left the venue."
Typically followed by an object and 'with', as in 'barrage someone with something'.
Used when referring to multiple distinct instances, most commonly successive artillery barrages or repeated waves of criticism.
"The city endured weeks of nightly barrages before the siege was lifted."
Barrage began life as a dam holding back water in 19th-century French — then World War I turned it into one of the most terrifying words on the battlefield.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of barrage
Barrage entered English from French in the late 19th century, deriving from the French verb 'barrer', meaning 'to bar' or 'to obstruct', which itself traces back to 'barre' — the same root that gives us 'barrier' and 'barricade'. In its earliest English use it denoted a barrier or dam built across a river. The word's dramatic transformation came during the First World War, when it became the standard term for concentrated artillery bombardments, and from the battlefield it spread into figurative use for any overwhelming stream of words or objects.
How barrage is actually used
The figurative sense — 'a barrage of questions/complaints' — is by far the most common in everyday speech and journalism, while the original military sense persists mainly in historical and news contexts. The verb form is typically used as 'barrage someone with something'. The river-dam sense survives mostly in British English and is rare elsewhere; it should not be confused with the more general word 'dam'.
Easily confused with barrage
Garage rhymes with barrage but is a building for housing vehicles, sharing only a similar French-derived ending sound.
An embargo is an official ban on trade or commerce, whereas a barrage is an overwhelming stream of fire, words, or questions.