1. wire with sharp points or barbs at regular intervals, used for fencing
Usage: also spelled ‘barbed wire’

Examples

• The farmer installed barbwire around his property to keep cattle from wandering off.
• Prisoners tried to escape by cutting through the barbwire fence.
• The old barbwire was rusty and needed to be replaced.
• She got a small cut from the barbwire while climbing over the fence.
• The military base was surrounded by coils of barbwire.
• Ranch hands carefully handled the barbwire to avoid injury.