What does barrelling mean?
Barrelling is an informal verb meaning to rise rapidly in price, especially when share prices surge almost vertically. The word is most common in financial reporting and commentary, where it conveys both the speed and the scale of the increase. It can also mean to put or store something in a barrel, as in a winemaking or storage context, though that literal sense is much less prominent in modern usage. Barrelling sounds forceful and colloquial rather than neutral, making it effective in headlines and market commentary but less suitable in formal technical writing. Its unusual upward motion also distinguishes it from ordinary price increases: a market that barrels is understood to be rising exceptionally fast, often in a short trading session. A barrelling market therefore implies momentum and volatility rather than merely steady growth.
verbTo increase rapidly in price, especially when referring to shares or other financial assets. It can also mean to put or store something in a barrel.
- To rise or increase rapidly in price, especially as applied to shares or other financial assets.
- To put or store something in a barrel.
"The company's shares began barrelling after the announcement of unexpectedly strong profits."
"Technology shares were barrelling before trading was suspended."
"They spent the afternoon barrelling cider for the following winter."
A market that barrels is not rolling downhill—it is shooting upward.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How barrelling is actually used
The financial sense is informal and journalistic, with strong associations with sharp, volatile market movements. The literal sense of putting something in a barrel is comparatively uncommon and depends heavily on context.
Easily confused with barrelling
Barreling and barrelling are spelling variants of the same word; the double-l form is traditional in British English, while the single-l form is common in American English.