barb

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One of Askell’s most striking traits is her protectiveness over Claude, which she believes is learning that users often want to trick it into making mistakes, insult it and barb it with skepticism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

Lennon riposte was How Do You Sleep? on the Imagine album, with its barb "The only thing you done was yesterday / And since you've gone you're just another day."

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2024

The former president also tossed a barb at a Trump town hall on Monday, during which the candidate paused questions to bop along to his playlist for nearly 40 minutes.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2024

Or being able to get up and take a break without facing a barb from someone onstage — “that’s what my brother would have needed to stay through the whole show,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2024

Ophie knew that sound well: it was the way her cousins laughed when they’d landed a particularly sharp barb.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland