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⇱ barnburner - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

- See Also:
- - Barnabas
  - Barnaby
  - barnacle
  - barnacle goose
  - Barnard
  - Barnard's star
  - Barnardo
  - Barnaul
  - Barnave
  - barnboard
  - barnburner
  - Barnes
  - Barnet
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  - Barneveldt
  - barney
  - barnlot
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  - Barnstaple
  - barnstorm
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barnburner

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(bärn′bûr′nər)

in Spanish | in French | in Italian | English synonyms | English Usage | Conjugator | in context | images

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

barn•burn•er (bärn′bûr′nər),USA pronunciation n.

Dialect Terms, Informal Terms[Informal.]something that is highly exciting, impressive, etc.:The All Stars game was a real barnburner.
Dialect Terms[Chiefly Pennsylvania.]a wooden friction match.
American History(cap.) a member of the progressive faction in the Democratic party in New York State 1845–52. Cf. Hunker.

1835–45, American; barn¹ + burner; (def. 3) so called with reference to burning down a barn to get rid of rats

'barnburner' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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