Meanings
nounmemory barrier (plural memory barriers)
plural memory barriers
- computingAn instruction that enforces an ordering constraint on memory operations issued before and after it.
Memory barriers are necessary because most modern CPUs employ performance optimizations that can result in out-of-order execution.
Synonyms: fence
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn instruction that enforces an ordering constraint on memory operations issued before and after it.
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Cite this entry
APA
memory barrier. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/memory%20barrier
MLA
“memory barrier.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/memory%20barrier. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “memory barrier,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/memory%20barrier.
Source: memory barrier on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.