# barren

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈbæɹən/ · frequency rank #17,081

## Definitions
1. Not bearing children, childless; hence also unable to bear children, sterile.
2. Not bearing seed or fruit.
3. Of poor fertility, infertile; not producing vegetation; desert, waste.
4. Devoid, lacking.
5. Devoid of interest or attraction, poor, bleak.
6. Unproductive, fruitless, unprofitable; empty, hollow, vain.
7. Mentally dull or unproductive; stupid or intellectually fallow.

## Etymology
From Middle English bareyne, from Anglo-Norman baraigne, baraing (“sterile; barren”), of obscure origin; probably from a Germanic language, perhaps Frankish *baʀ (“bare; barren”), from Proto-Germanic *bazaz (“bare”). If so, a doublet of bare.

## Easily confused with
- **bren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-bren)
- **Barry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barry)
- **burden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-burden)
- **Barton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barton)
- **barrow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barrow)
- **bergen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-bergen)
- **Barron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barron)
- **barter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barter)
- **Borden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-borden)
- **barrio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barrio)
- **batten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-batten)
- **barrier** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barrier)
- **Barrett** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barrett)
- **barring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barren-vs-barring)
- **bare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bare-vs-barren)
- **barn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barn-vs-barren)
- **barr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barr-vs-barren)
- **baron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baron-vs-barren)
- **Baden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baden-vs-barren)
- **barge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barge-vs-barren)

## Common misspellings (7)
`abrren`, `baren`, `barern`, `barrenn`, `barrne`, `bbarren`, `braren`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/barren