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barrier reef
noun
: a coral reef roughly parallel to a shore and separated from it usually by a lagoon
Examples of barrier reef in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Spanning nearly 72 miles, the largest barrier reef system in Mexico and the Caribbean, Banco Chinchorro, is just an hour-long boat ride away.
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Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 28 May 2024
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, home to more than 6,000 wildlife species like whales, dolphins and manatees — plus the world's third-largest barrier reef — protects the water surrounding the islands.
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Catherine Garcia, theweek, 5 Mar. 2024
The impressive ecosystem is the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere and home to a variety of wildlife: seahorses, spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, manatees, and more.
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Jessica Poitevien, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2023
The two of them share a lagoon and are encircled by one barrier reef.
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Maggie Shipstead, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barrier reef.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1805, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near barrier reef
Cite this Entry
“Barrier reef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrier%20reef. Accessed 16 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
barrier reef
noun
: a coral reef roughly parallel to a shore and separated from it by a lagoon
More from Merriam-Webster on barrier reef
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for barrier reef
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barrier reef
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