The castle has a barbican.
Source: tatoeba (10326779)
Barbican
/ˈbɑːbɪkən/
Synonyms for "barbican" (105 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (21)
abatisadvanced workantenna towerbalistrariabankbanquettebarbed-wire entanglementbarricadebarrierbartizanbastionbattlementbelfrybell towerbreastworkbulwarkcampanilecasematecheval-de-frise
Noun(2 words)
approach courtbarbacan
Strong matches (32)
Related words (52)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abatis, advanced work, antenna tower, approach court, balistraria.
- Sentence evidence is available for barbican, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, wiktionary, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "barbican".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "barbican"
Keep "barbican" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "barbican" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "barbican", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "barbican" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesbarbican gatebarbican wallfortified barbicangatehouse barbicanmedieval barbicanouter barbican
Inflections
1 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
Whilst visiting London, walking in the neighbourhood of the Barbican Centre, I chanced upon a fish and chip shop, where I ordered ravishing fish and chips, wrapped in newspaper. I could get nothing like it back in North America.
Source: tatoeba (10652815)
In London, my hotel was near the Barbican Centre. A memorable event was eating delicious fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, which back home, North Americans could not replicate. My favourite Brits are Olaf Stapledon and J.R.R. Tolkien, respectively a sci-fi writer and a fantasy writer. I have surveyed the British Isles via satellite imagery, and a really interesting area is southwestern England, where there are quaint towns and hamlets.
Source: tatoeba (11021459)
The stone part of the drawbridge with its barbican and the bartizans of the gatehouse are in good repair. […] There was a large hidden trapdoor in the floor of the barbican, which would let them into the moat after all.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "barbican"?
Closest matches include abatis, advanced work, antenna tower, approach court, balistraria.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "barbican"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.