bar·be·cue
ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü 
barbecued; barbecuing; barbecues
1
: to roast or broil (food, such as meat) on a rack or revolving spit over or before a source of heat (such as hot coals or a gas flame)
barbecuing chicken for dinner
2
: to prepare (food, such as beef, pork, or chicken) by seasoning (as with a marinade, a barbecue sauce, or a rub) and cooking usually slowly and with exposure to low heat and to smoke
Barbecuing brisket begins late Thursday night so they can start serving at noon Friday.—
Carlos Frías
Carlos FríasTo be really barbecued, ribs must roast slowly over hardwood, which cooks them with a combination of heat and smoke.—Dennis R. Getto
Dennis R. GettoI prepared it with a rub rather than a marinade or barbecue sauce. It was the first time I'd barbecued meat seasoned with a rub, and it was very easy.—Margaret Prouse
Margaret Prouse3
informal
: to subject (someone) to harsh criticism or ridicule
Republicans now talk of winning 15 to 20 new seats in November, a prospect that has the faithful and the financiers wanting to barbecue Clinton for at least a few more weeks.—Nancy Gibbs et al.
Nancy Gibbs et al.
: to barbecue food
barbecuing on a grill
There are no shortcuts in barbecuing here. The brisket, for example, is slow smoked with a dry rub for 14 to 16 hours …—Constance Snow
Constance Snow
barbecuer
noun
plural barbecuers
variants
or less commonly barbeque
1
a
: a large animal (such as a steer) roasted whole or split over an open fire or a fire in a pit
b
: barbecued food
eat barbecue
2
: a social gathering especially in the open air at which barbecued food is eaten
3
: an often portable fireplace over which meat and fish are roasted
Examples of barbecue in a Sentence
Verb
We barbecued chicken and ribs.
We barbecue often during the summer.
Noun
grill a steak on the barbecue
We plan to have a barbecue for the whole family.
She invited us over for some beer and barbecue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024
Westfield and Clarke intend on staying friends, already making plans to barbecue in the driveway where the fateful encounter occurred.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Bychris Morris, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024
The residents of Asia Brickell Key’s 123 units are provided a range of amenities that wouldn’t feel out of place in a five-star hotel, including a communal pool, a barbecue area, a fitness center, a grand two-story lobby, 24-hour security, and both tennis and racquetball courts.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for barbecue 
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Verb
According to an announcement, the new venue will be the world’s first museum dedicated to barbecue.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024
Westfield and Clarke intend on staying friends, already making plans to barbecue in the driveway where the fateful encounter occurred.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
Char-Griller’s offset smoker is a different sort of barbecue tool, but one that’s a lot more manageable ($249).
—Bychris Morris, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024
The residents of Asia Brickell Key’s 123 units are provided a range of amenities that wouldn’t feel out of place in a five-star hotel, including a communal pool, a barbecue area, a fitness center, a grand two-story lobby, 24-hour security, and both tennis and racquetball courts.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for barbecue
Dictionary Entries Near barbecue
Cite this Entry
“Barbecue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbecue. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barbecue
1 of 2 verb
bar·be·cue
ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü
barbecued; barbecuing
1
: to cook over or before an open source of heat (as hot coals)
2
: to cook in a highly seasoned sauce
barbecuer
noun
barbecue
2 of 2 noun
variants
also barbeque
1
a
: a large animal (as a hog or steer) roasted or broiled over an open fire
b
: barbecued food
2
: an outdoor social gathering at which barbecued food is eaten
Etymology
Noun
from American Spanish barbacoa "a rack for hanging meat over a fire," from an Indigenous language of the Antilles
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