sleeping barber problem

noun

A problem of interprocess communication and synchronization where one process responds to requests from multiple other threads and sleeps when not doing so. In some cases this may lead to an undesirable state where components are waiting for each other despite being ready.

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Meanings

nounsleeping barber problem (plural sleeping barber problems)

plural sleeping barber problems

  1. computingA problem of interprocess communication and synchronization where one process responds to requests from multiple other threads and sleeps when not doing so. In some cases this may lead to an undesirable state where components are waiting for each other despite being ready.

Origin

By analogy with a barber who sleeps while not cutting hair, and whose customers wake him on arrival. Since actions such as entering the salon and looking around take variable amounts of time, this may lead to a situation where both barber and customer(s) are futilely waiting for each other.

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Cite this entry
APA

sleeping barber problem. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeping%20barber%20problem

MLA

“sleeping barber problem.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeping%20barber%20problem. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sleeping barber problem,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeping%20barber%20problem.

Source: sleeping barber problem on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.