"barnstorm" means: To travel around the countryside making political speeches etc.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
barnstorm
To travel around the countryside making political speeches etc.
Definitions
To travel around the countryside making political speeches etc.
A pair of red boxing gloves dangles in the cabin of John N. Turner's plane as he barnstorms across Canada campaigning for the general election Nov. 21.
"barnstorm" means: To travel around the countryside making political speeches etc.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"barnstorm" means: To travel around the countryside making political speeches etc.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Comments
(US) To appear at fairs and carnivals in exhibitions of stunt flying, sporting events or theater.
A day after the end of an often contentious Republican State Convention, the party's endorsed candidates for governor and lieutenant governor barnstormed across the state today, talking with reporters, meeting supporters and chanting the…
Comments
(US, of a sports team) To travel from town to town performing in front of small crowds.
He also noted that “we’re in the business of promoting the game” in the United States, which is a task surely helped by the national team’s barnstorming persona.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "barnstorm" (B)
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(politics, dated) Bombastic political posturing or oratorical display designed only for show or public applause.
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(slang) To drive around.
- bomb around56%
Bomb around is casual slang meaning to drive around — typically fast, carelessly, or aimlessly. It suggests movement with energy but without a clear destination: you're not going anywhere in particular, just moving with speed or enthusiasm. British and Australian usage is common. The 'bomb' element implies velocity and casual abandon rather than destruction. Register is informal and youthful; typically used to describe teenagers in cars or anyone moving around energetically without a plan.