-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
barrier island
noun
: a long broad sandy island lying parallel to a shore that is built up by the action of waves, currents, and winds and that protects the shore from the effects of the ocean
Examples of barrier island in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Start your adventure at Lovers Key, a collection of barrier islands with two miles of sandy beach.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 7 June 2024
Among the many unspoiled white-sand beaches in Apalachicola and the Forgotten Coast are stretches lining the beautiful barrier island of St. George.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2024
Daniel Pullen/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service via Getty Images North Carolina's coast is almost entirely made up of narrow, low-lying barrier islands that are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges and to being washed over from both the bay and the sea as the planet warms.
—CBS News, 29 May 2024
In fact, this quiet barrier island once attracted Gilded Age nobility like the Rockefellers, Goodyears, and Vanderbilts, who loved escaping to Jekyll Island's 10 miles of shoreline in the winter.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for barrier island
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barrier island.' 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
1773, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near barrier island
Cite this Entry
“Barrier island.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrier%20island. Accessed 13 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
barrier island
noun
: a long broad sandy island parallel to a shore that is built up by the action of waves, currents, and winds
More from Merriam-Webster on barrier island
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barrier island
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share