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
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To explore farther afield, the Island Express Ferry Service drops passengers off at the uninhabited Shackleford Banks, the southernmost barrier island in Cape Lookout National Seashore, known for its wild horses (more than 100 at last count).
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Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025
Keep reading for the best things to do in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Things To Do In New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Explore the Canaveral National Seashore
Cross the causeway and explore this barrier island that holds the longest stretch of undeveloped Atlantic coastline in the state.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 July 2025
Located at the southeastern part of the state, the region is made up of five barrier islands and a number of communities that sit more inland—including the roughly 2,400-person fishing town of Calabash.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 21 July 2025
Chase Childers, 38, went into the water off Pawleys Island, a barrier island in South Carolina, with another person the afternoon of July 13 to help four or five people who were in distress in the water, according to the Pawleys Island Police Department.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 18 July 2025
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Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025
Keep reading for the best things to do in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Things To Do In New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Explore the Canaveral National Seashore
Cross the causeway and explore this barrier island that holds the longest stretch of undeveloped Atlantic coastline in the state.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 July 2025
Located at the southeastern part of the state, the region is made up of five barrier islands and a number of communities that sit more inland—including the roughly 2,400-person fishing town of Calabash.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 21 July 2025
Chase Childers, 38, went into the water off Pawleys Island, a barrier island in South Carolina, with another person the afternoon of July 13 to help four or five people who were in distress in the water, according to the Pawleys Island Police Department.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for barrier island
Cite this Entry
“Barrier island.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrier%20island. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
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