bar mitz·vah
bär-ˈmits-və 
often capitalized B&M
1
: a Jewish boy who reaches his 13th birthday and attains the age of religious duty and responsibility
2
: the initiatory ceremony recognizing a boy as a bar mitzvah
bar mitzvahed; bar mitzvahing
: to administer the ceremony of bar mitzvah to
Examples of bar mitzvah in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashley Spencer, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023
Over the years, the line dance song became an international sensation, becoming a staple at school dances, sports events, Quinceanera’s, bar mitzvahs, weddings, and other celebrations across the world.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2023
Will, who pursues track and cross country, will have his bar mitzvah at the end of May.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2023
Take That performing in 2006, the same year as Elliot’s bar mitzvah.
—Town & Country, 9 May 2023
At El Camino Real High School, Haddish became the school mascot, sprinting through the gym during basketball games in her conquistador costume, tossing candy to the fans — useful practice for her later career as a professional party motivator, hyping up shy middle-schoolers at bar mitzvahs.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 20 July 2023
In addition to the schools, the campus also will feature a movie theater and a music studio, a library, a kosher deli and a huge indoor basketball court and gym that can be turned into a lecture hall for up to 600 people or a reception hall for weddings and bar mitzvahs.
—Kirsten Grieshaber, ajc, 23 June 2023
Just the right shoe was just the right fit for a bar mitzvah service project chosen by Will Labowitz of Glencoe.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2023
Watch Day Shift on Netflix 13: The Musical Adapted from the coming-of-age Broadway production, 13: The Musical follows 12-year-old Evan (Eli Golden), whose bar mitzvah plans are thwarted by the divorce of his parents, Jessica and Joel (Debra Messing and Peter Hermann, respectively).
—Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 9 June 2023
Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2022
The Musical, an adaptation of the coming-of-age Broadway show about Evan Goldman, a teen who's about to make his bar mitzvah.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2022
After moving from New York to Indiana in the wake of his parents’ divorce, a clever middle schooler is determined to throw the best bar mitzvah ever.
—Jacob Siegal, BGR, 7 Aug. 2022
Drake relives his bar mitzvah glory days onstage with the Backstreet Boys.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2022
Bundestag while reciting the Jewish mourner’s prayer from a prayer book that belonged to a German Jewish boy who celebrated his bar mitzvah on the eve of Kristallnacht.
—Samuel Petrequin, ajc, 27 Jan. 2022
Harlow allegedly used his bar mitzvah money to buy a reel-to-reel recorder and one-way ticket to Cuba in the 1950s to study the music scene.
—Julian Voloj, sun-sentinel.com, 1 Sep. 2021
In 1967, the year of his bar mitzvah, Israel won the Six-Day War and occupied Gaza, the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2021
There's also a photo of him and his fiance, Noah Galvin, and of his family, including one from his brother's bar mitzvah.
—Mark Kennedy, ajc, 27 Feb. 2023
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Noun
During Menzel’s early days playing weddings and bar mitzvahs on Long Island in the 1980s, her goal was to get a record deal, not land a Broadway role.
—Ashley Spencer, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023
Over the years, the line dance song became an international sensation, becoming a staple at school dances, sports events, Quinceanera’s, bar mitzvahs, weddings, and other celebrations across the world.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2023
Will, who pursues track and cross country, will have his bar mitzvah at the end of May.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2023
Take That performing in 2006, the same year as Elliot’s bar mitzvah.
—Town & Country, 9 May 2023
At El Camino Real High School, Haddish became the school mascot, sprinting through the gym during basketball games in her conquistador costume, tossing candy to the fans — useful practice for her later career as a professional party motivator, hyping up shy middle-schoolers at bar mitzvahs.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 20 July 2023
In addition to the schools, the campus also will feature a movie theater and a music studio, a library, a kosher deli and a huge indoor basketball court and gym that can be turned into a lecture hall for up to 600 people or a reception hall for weddings and bar mitzvahs.
—Kirsten Grieshaber, ajc, 23 June 2023
Just the right shoe was just the right fit for a bar mitzvah service project chosen by Will Labowitz of Glencoe.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2023
Watch Day Shift on Netflix 13: The Musical Adapted from the coming-of-age Broadway production, 13: The Musical follows 12-year-old Evan (Eli Golden), whose bar mitzvah plans are thwarted by the divorce of his parents, Jessica and Joel (Debra Messing and Peter Hermann, respectively).
—Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 9 June 2023
Verb
Mayor William O’Dwyer attended his bar mitzvah and gave him a $20 bill.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2022
The Musical, an adaptation of the coming-of-age Broadway show about Evan Goldman, a teen who's about to make his bar mitzvah.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2022
After moving from New York to Indiana in the wake of his parents’ divorce, a clever middle schooler is determined to throw the best bar mitzvah ever.
—Jacob Siegal, BGR, 7 Aug. 2022
Drake relives his bar mitzvah glory days onstage with the Backstreet Boys.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2022
Bundestag while reciting the Jewish mourner’s prayer from a prayer book that belonged to a German Jewish boy who celebrated his bar mitzvah on the eve of Kristallnacht.
—Samuel Petrequin, ajc, 27 Jan. 2022
Harlow allegedly used his bar mitzvah money to buy a reel-to-reel recorder and one-way ticket to Cuba in the 1950s to study the music scene.
—Julian Voloj, sun-sentinel.com, 1 Sep. 2021
In 1967, the year of his bar mitzvah, Israel won the Six-Day War and occupied Gaza, the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2021
There's also a photo of him and his fiance, Noah Galvin, and of his family, including one from his brother's bar mitzvah.
—Mark Kennedy, ajc, 27 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bar mitzvah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near bar mitzvah
Cite this Entry
“Bar mitzvah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bar%20mitzvah. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
bar mitzvah
1 of 2 noun
bar mitz·vah
bär-ˈmits-və
often capitalized B&M
1
: a Jewish boy who on his 13th birthday reaches the age of religious duty and responsibility
2
: the ceremony recognizing a boy as a bar mitzvah
bar mitzvah
2 of 2 verb
bar mitzvahed; bar mitzvahing
: to administer the ceremony of bar mitzvah to
Etymology
Noun
from Hebrew bar miṣwāh, literally, "son of the (divine) law"
More from Merriam-Webster on bar mitzvah
Britannica English: Translation of bar mitzvah for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bar mitzvah
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