bark
bahk
Bark (verb) means to make the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs. Example: “The dog barked wildly at the mail carrier.”
verb
1
To make the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs.
"The dog barked wildly at the mail carrier."
"Our neighbour's puppy barks whenever someone walks past the garden gate."
"Did you hear the dog barking in the night?"
2
To speak in a sharp, loud, commanding tone.
"The sergeant barked orders at the new recruits."
"The manager barked at the waiter to hurry up with the order."
"Don't bark at me like that, I'm only trying to help!"
noun
1
The tough outer covering of a tree's trunk and branches.
"The bark of the old oak was rough and deeply grooved."
"Beetles had burrowed under the loose bark of the fallen branch."
"Children rubbed the rough bark of the tree with crayons and paper."
2
The sharp sound a dog makes.
"His bark was worse than his bite."
"We heard a loud bark from behind the fence and stopped walking."
"The puppy's high little bark made everyone in the kitchen laugh."
How to use bark
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the sound a dog makes, or the tough outer layer of a tree — two unrelated meanings that happen to share a spelling.
Common mistake
The saying "his bark is worse than his bite" means someone sounds more threatening than they actually are.
Common pairings
bark orders
tree bark
bark at someone
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Word forms
- Plural
- barks
- Third person singular
- barks
- Past tense
- barked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The dog _____ wildly at the mail carrier.
Etymology
From Old English beorcan ("to bark"), an ancient Germanic word related to sounds of growling or droning; the tree-covering sense is a separate, unrelated word borrowed from Old Norse.
Related words
Rhymes for bark
See all rhymes for bark →Frequently asked questions
What does “bark” mean?
The word “bark” means to make the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs. In plain terms, either the sound a dog makes, or the tough outer layer of a tree — two unrelated meanings that happen to share a spelling.
How do you pronounce “bark”?
“Bark” is pronounced bahk (/bɑɹk/ in IPA).
How do you use “bark” in a sentence?
Here is “bark” used in a sentence: “The dog barked wildly at the mail carrier.”
What part of speech is “bark”?
Depending on how it is used, “bark” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “bark” come from?
The word “bark” comes from Old English. From Old English beorcan ("to bark"), an ancient Germanic word related to sounds of growling or droning; the tree-covering sense is a separate, unrelated word borrowed from Old Norse.
Is “bark” a common word?
“Bark” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bark” have?
“Bark” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs.
What is the difference between bark and howl for dog sounds?
Bark refers to the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs, usually short and repeated, while a howl is a prolonged, mournful vocal sound. Dogs bark to alert or communicate quickly, whereas howling tends to be sustained and used for different signaling purposes.
What is the difference between the bark of a tree and a dog's bark?
These are two unrelated meanings of the same word: tree bark is the tough outer covering of a trunk and branches, while a dog's bark is the sharp sound it makes vocally. Context makes clear which sense is meant, since one refers to a plant structure and the other to an animal sound.
What does it mean when a person barks at someone?
When a person barks at someone, it means they speak in a sharp, loud, commanding tone, similar to the abrupt sound a dog makes. This figurative use often describes an order or reprimand delivered forcefully.
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