<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:019ef08e-83aa-704e-a8f1-5f9f0916b5e9,g:a252da4c-77e9-4ffc-90fa-bdd7e1db574e-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member"/>
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://bned.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="bned-20260624.xsd#Cover"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://bned.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_019ef08e-83aa-77c0-bc44-488610f781b1" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_019ef08e-83aa-77c0-bc44-488610f781b1" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationDocumentAxis_019ef08e-83aa-798a-a7db-058a50bd386f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationDocumentAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_019ef08e-83aa-77c0-bc44-488610f781b1" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentInformationDocumentAxis_019ef08e-83aa-798a-a7db-058a50bd386f" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentDomain_019ef08e-83aa-798a-a7db-058a50bd386f_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationDocumentAxis_019ef08e-83aa-798a-a7db-058a50bd386f" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentDomain_019ef08e-83aa-798a-a7db-058a50bd386f_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentDomain_019ef08e-83aa-7f2d-b7c1-6d4589450b37" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationDocumentAxis_019ef08e-83aa-798a-a7db-058a50bd386f" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentDomain_019ef08e-83aa-7f2d-b7c1-6d4589450b37" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_019ef08e-83aa-7e07-9791-4fca48f739f2" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_019ef08e-83aa-7e07-9791-4fca48f739f2" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019ef08e-83aa-75ad-ba37-4c27f80848ad" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019ef08e-83aa-75ad-ba37-4c27f80848ad" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019ef08e-83aa-7c26-be56-11382a37a442" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019ef08e-83aa-7c26-be56-11382a37a442" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019ef08e-83aa-758b-98dd-0ea00e1e0497" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019ef08e-83aa-758b-98dd-0ea00e1e0497" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019ef08e-83aa-7659-9696-e62f59711e53" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019ef08e-83aa-7659-9696-e62f59711e53" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019ef08e-83aa-79ac-94a9-012cab2da2bc" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019ef08e-83aa-79ac-94a9-012cab2da2bc" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019ef08e-83aa-7494-aeee-8dadced956dd" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019ef08e-83aa-7494-aeee-8dadced956dd" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019ef08e-83aa-7ba9-9c1c-be5f855cfdf0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019ef08e-83aa-7ba9-9c1c-be5f855cfdf0" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019ef08e-83aa-726d-ad95-92e68b7f9711" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019ef08e-83aa-726d-ad95-92e68b7f9711" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019ef08e-83aa-765c-a0cc-2465593df519" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019ef08e-83aa-765c-a0cc-2465593df519" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019ef08e-83aa-79f4-b43f-eb4543735457" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019ef08e-83aa-79f4-b43f-eb4543735457" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019ef08e-83aa-7b36-a663-e9059b77c109" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019ef08e-83aa-7b36-a663-e9059b77c109" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019ef08e-83aa-7bf3-9fd8-c690b80ad5db" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019ef08e-83aa-7bf3-9fd8-c690b80ad5db" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019ef08e-83aa-713a-a54a-b1a53a7c265c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019ef08e-83aa-713a-a54a-b1a53a7c265c" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019ef08e-83aa-7e3e-8367-cca292d52d87" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019ef08e-83aa-7e3e-8367-cca292d52d87" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019ef08e-83aa-779f-b90d-1da49b7dcb33" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019ef08e-83aa-779f-b90d-1da49b7dcb33" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019ef08e-83aa-7e72-b921-c40b55831fda" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019ef08e-83aa-7e72-b921-c40b55831fda" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019ef08e-83aa-76cc-8bf1-5756f47549a8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019ef08e-83aa-76cc-8bf1-5756f47549a8" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019ef08e-83aa-7c2a-b6bc-85d5ecfb878f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019ef08e-83aa-7c2a-b6bc-85d5ecfb878f" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019ef08e-83aa-7142-92b3-508861a56d73" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019ef08e-83aa-7142-92b3-508861a56d73" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019ef08e-83aa-7528-ad89-dccd688de2a7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019ef08e-83aa-7528-ad89-dccd688de2a7" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019ef08e-83aa-7868-a41c-3bf88edf99bb" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019ef08e-83aa-749c-90fb-289b2d85e311" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019ef08e-83aa-7868-a41c-3bf88edf99bb" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
