Definition

The quantity of something that can fill a barrel, often used to describe a large amount of liquid or other substances.

Example

The farmer filled the tank with a barrelful of water for the crops.

Conversation

I just bought a barrelful of apples from the market.

Wow, that's a lot of apples! What are you going to do with them?

I plan to make some pies and maybe a few jars of apple sauce.

That sounds delicious! You’ll have to share some with me.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Barrelful → It is formed from "barrel" (from Middle English *barelle*, meaning a cylindrical container) and "-ful" (meaning full of). The word "barrelful" means the amount that a barrel can hold, or full of the contents of a barrel.

Memory Tip

Think of a barrel as a cylindrical container that holds liquid, and '-ful' means full of — so a barrelful is the amount that fills a barrel.

Visually Confused Words