fence

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
archaic : a means of protection : defense
2
a
: a barrier intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary
especially : such a barrier made of posts and wire or boards
b
: an immaterial barrier or boundary line
on the other side of the fence in the argument
3
4
a
: a receiver of stolen goods
b
: a place where stolen goods are bought
fenceless adjective
fencelessness noun

fence

2 of 2

verb

fenced; fencing

transitive verb

1
a
: to enclose with a fence
b(1)
: to keep in or out with a fence
(2)
: to ward off
2
: to provide a defense for
3
: to sell (stolen property) to a fence

intransitive verb

1
a
: to practice fencing
b(1)
: to use tactics of attack and defense resembling those of fencing
(2)
: to parry arguments by shifting ground
2
archaic : to provide protection
fencer noun
Phrases
on the fence
: in a position of neutrality or indecision

Examples of fence in a Sentence

Noun We put up a fence around our yard. the only way to prevent motorists from trying to use that unsafe bridge is to put a fence across the road leading to it Verb a house with a fenced-in yard He stole watches and fenced them on the street.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And less than two weeks ago, a man died in a fall from the fence west of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 As images obtained by the outlet show, the wheel broke one vehicle's rear windshield, damaged a Tesla, bent part of a fence and eventually landed in a nearby lot. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 The militants used drones to drop explosives onto the observation towers, blew holes in the border fence with explosives and bulldozers to smash open gaps large enough to allow vehicles to roll through. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 In Mesa, Marisnick robbed Seiya Suzuki of at least an extra-base hit by making a leaping catch at the left field fence in the first inning. Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2024 Director Jonathan Glazer leans heavily on the chilling sounds from inside the camp that echo incessantly as the Höss family build their dream home, which sits on the other side of the concentration camp’s barbed wire fence. Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The bull curves around, his head lowered, horns at the attack — and repeatedly stabs Mandarina, shoving him across the ring until he’s pinned against the fence. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 The ticket image was designed in-house by Senior Art Director Mandy Walsh, the ticket features a photo of Newgarden jumping from the car on the infamous Yard of Bricks before climbing through the fence to join the fans. Bruce Martin, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The group jumped the fence and entered the unfinished skyscraper, Officer Rosario Cervantes of the Los Angeles Police Department said. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
Dickinson fell in love with swords and fencing around age 14, while attending an English boarding school and studying metalworking. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 Police mentioned that the child was a visitor at the residence where the drowning occurred and noted that the pool area was fenced. Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 26 Feb. 2024 On the main street, children clambered up the gate of another group of homes fenced off with razor wire. Sufian Taha, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 To avoid clashes, organizers have fenced in projects like Woodland Valley Farm. Jason Thomson, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Feb. 2024 The entire backyard is fenced in with towering trees and plants that separate you from the neighboring properties. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 12 Feb. 2024 This area includes Shelby Park, a city park on the Rio Grande that is now fenced off with gates and razor wire – impeding the Border Patrol’s access. Holly Yan, CNN, 27 Jan. 2024 Capps proposed an eight-step plan to combat the deaths, including increasing the height of fencing surrounding the 60 or so properties on the bluffs. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Border Patrol agents in the area were aware of the immigrants in distress despite being fenced out from the area since Wednesday, and agents tried to contact the Texas officials inside the fenced area to alert state authorities. Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fens, short for defens, defense defense entry 1

Verb

Middle English fensen, derivative of fens fence entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fence was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fence

Cite this Entry

“Fence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fence. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fence

1 of 2 noun
1
: a barrier (as of wood or wire) to prevent escape or entry or to mark a boundary
2
: a person who receives stolen goods
fenceless adjective

fence

2 of 2 verb
fenced; fencing
1
a
: to enclose with a fence
b
: to keep in or out with a fence
2
: to practice fencing
3
: to sell (stolen property) to a fence
fencer noun

Legal Definition

fence

1 of 2 noun
1
: a barrier intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary
2
a
: a receiver of stolen goods
b
: a place where stolen goods are bought

fence

2 of 2 transitive verb
fenced; fencing
1
a
: to enclose with a fence
b
: to keep in or out with a fence
2
: to sell (stolen property) to a fence

More from Merriam-Webster on fence

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!