Real Dictionary

barren
adjective: A barren landscape is dry and bare, and has very few plants and no trees.
adjective: Barren land consists of soil that is so poor that plants cannot grow in it.
adjective: If you describe something such as an activity or a period of your life as barren, you mean that you achieve no success during it or that it has no useful results.

barren in American English
that cannot produce offspring; sterile
adjective: not producing or incapable of producing offspring; sterile
noun: level or slightly rolling land, usually with a sandy soil and few trees, and relatively infertile

barren in British English
adjective: incapable of producing offspring, seed, or fruit; sterile