bars 1 of 2

Definition of barsnext
plural of bar
1
as in beams
a straight piece (as of wood or metal) that is longer than it is wide all of the prison's windows are partially covered with steel bars

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2
as in streaks
a line or long narrow section differing in color from the background the cat had a bar of white down her throat

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3
as in mounds
a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow) more than one boater has run aground on that treacherous bar of sand in the river

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4
5
as in tribunals
an assembly of persons for the administration of justice rather than try and convict the alleged murderer in the mass media, let justice be done at the bar

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6
7
as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared we need to raise the bar for what is acceptable behavior in this situation

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bars

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bar
1
as in stripes
to make stripes on barred the fence with white strips

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2
3
4
as in guards
to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point the bikeway was barred by a huge fallen tree

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bars
Noun
Dining options will encompass numerous restaurants and bars, including the brand’s signature Peacock Alley, a lobby lounge tradition that has anchored Waldorf Astoria properties since the original New York hotel. Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026 Physical coins and bars give you direct ownership, while ETFs provide exposure without storage concerns. Sharon Wu, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026 This is where the ship’s specialty dining venues, bars, gelato, chocolate and shops can be found. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026 Mr Eazi From the best roadside bars in Accra to the coolest clubs in Kampala—and second-to-none hangover food in Lagos. Amelia Dhuga, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Jan. 2026 The ship will feature multiple live music spaces alongside recreational amenities, including lounges and bars, hot tubs, water slides and mini golf. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026 The order shows that Fleming was ordered to avoid the two North Side bars where the woman worked and to pay for damage to her apartment window, which had a rock thrown through it in August 2024. Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026 West Hollywood offers a lot, but it might be best known for its many gay bars (and establishments owned by reality star Lisa Vanderpump). Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026 Stroll along Atlantic Avenue, the city’s walkable main drag lined with restaurants, bars, boutiques, and galleries. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Federal law also bars unauthorized immigrants from owning firearms — a rule that withstood a recent challenge in federal court. Paul Kiefer, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Sanders also bars profanity outside the meeting room and stressed the importance of being respectful of women. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026 The black-and-white episode tells the origin story of the Doorman Clause, an insurance policy in the MCU's version of Hollywood that bars people with superpowers from getting cast in any TV or movie production. Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026 That means nothing bars him from closing on the transaction as early as this week. Paul Edward Parker, The Providence Journal, 27 Jan. 2026 Wielding his powers, Simon tears the cell bars away. Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026 The crux of the coalition’s argument is that the immigration operation in Minnesota constitutes a violation of the Tenth Amendment, which protects the sovereignty of states and bars the federal government from commandeering state and local resources for federal purposes. Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026 Patel said Armstrong will be charged under a federal law that bars physical obstruction of houses of worship. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026 The filing says the agency referred the two (unidentified) DOGE staffers to the Office of Special Counsel for possible violations of the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that bars civilian executive branch employees from engaging in certain political activities. Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • While the space itself, clad in bricks and steel beams, feels historic, its state-of-the-art sound system churns out high-quality sounds for your night on the dance floor.
    Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Players also gain access to fire, electric and ice beams that are needed to bypass obstacles and handle the weak points of certain enemies.
    Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Clark is a steady presence, but the Bruins have had to navigate the Big Ten without his shooting streaks, defense and dependability.
    Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Since the company first started lifting the satellites to space in 2019, streaks of light have botched countless observations.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Transfer to pastry bag fitted with star tip and pipe 8 mounds over holes on top of baba.
    Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the tiniest of the land’s inhabitants, the termite, work steadily to build up mounds of fungus and sand, the foundation of the lagoon’s precious islands.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • To relax, people can hit one of the city's many pubs or sip on afternoon tea.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Its use extends far beyond bars and pubs.
    Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Several oil companies sought compensation through international tribunals and arbitrators.
    Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The Nuremberg trials also helped to establish precedents used in later international criminal tribunals, including those in the wake of the Bosnian war and Rwandan genocide, and influenced the formation of the International Criminal Court, which began operating in 2002 in The Hague.
    B.B. Blaber, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Institutions were obstacles to be blamed or bypassed.
    Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Ladders can help fish circumvent these obstacles, but learning to navigate them can take the animals days.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The state spent more than $20 billion without uniform standards to measure effectiveness.
    Julie Watts, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • In Hong Kong, this positions MKS to contribute to the HKPMCC’s governance and system design, ensuring interoperability with global standards.
    Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Unless going for a state or world record, Florida law prohibits the removal from the water of a tarpon less than 40 inches in length.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Naaman Forest turned in an enrollment of 1,822, a 5A Division II number, but a UIL rule prohibits schools from opting up more than one division for football, so the program will be in 5A Division I for the next two seasons.
    Myah Taylor, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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