barn-burning

adjective

barn-burn·​ing
chiefly US, informal
: very energetic and impassioned
a barn-burning orator
barn-burning performances
: prolonged and exciting
… he thought the market would begin a barn-burning rally as the leading world economies showed signs of life.Robert Hurtado, New York Times, 18 June 1993
Canada sneaked past the United States 69–62 in a barn-burning semi-final that went to double overtime …Will Swanton, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), 16 Sept. 2008

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barn-burning was in 1965

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near barn-burning

Cite this Entry

“Barn-burning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barn-burning. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!