barf

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Of a system: to fail.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The program barfed as a result of the invalid input.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “barf” mean?

Of a system: to fail.

Is “barf” formal or informal?

barf is generally slang.