1
2
3
4
as in pubs
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises
a bar that serves meals as well as drinks
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the complication of the molecule is the biggest bar to reproducing it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in prohibits
to order not to do or use or to be done or used
corporal punishment has long been barred in most public schools
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bans
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of
beach-goers are barred from walking in roped-off sections of the beach to protect nesting birds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
While the canal itself was commissioned in 1802 by Napoleon I to bring fresh water into the city, the vibe is distinctly contemporary with some of Paris's hottest restaurants, cafés and bars scattered alongside it.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
He was sentenced to nine years but walked free after just 18 months due to his good behavior while behind bars.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Gavin Moseley is a fixture in NYC nightlife, launching a string of successful bars and speakeasies frequented by friends and celebrities alike including his close friend, Kyle.
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Where to Find the Little Debbie Ice Cream The new ice cream bars on a stick are available at select retailers nationwide.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
The West Loop building, first completed in 1966 and now called The Bell, includes reconstructed offices, a health club with a cold plunge, several tenant lounges and bars, pickleball courts, a rooftop deck and Solette, a ground-floor casual restaurant.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Restaurants and bars have embraced pickles in creative and unexpected ways, offering pickleback shots (whiskey followed by pickle juice) and even entire menus centered around pickled ingredients.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
However, larger bars can be less flexible to sell, since they can’t be divided without being melted or refined.
—Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The law, which takes effect July 1, bars courts and other adjudicatory bodies from enforcing provisions of foreign or religious law, with particular emphasis on the Islamic code known as Sharia law.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Hence a new lawsuit challenging a medical scholarship administered by the Department of Health and Human Services that bars applicants who don’t have Native Hawaiian ancestry.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The order Thursday also bars other agencies from cutting off their work with Anthropic.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
The task force also called on lawmakers to better align state law with federal law, which bars people convicted of certain crimes from obtaining fireworks licenses.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Trump was not a part of it since the Constitution bars him from running for president again.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr.
political, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
The decision bars introductory sociology from the state’s general-education catalog — the set of foundational courses all students must complete, regardless of major, across subjects such as math, science, humanities and social sciences.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
State law bars the governor from conducting state business while out-of-state.
—Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
As a result, a young man will spend the prime of his life behind bars.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
While the canal itself was commissioned in 1802 by Napoleon I to bring fresh water into the city, the vibe is distinctly contemporary with some of Paris's hottest restaurants, cafés and bars scattered alongside it.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
He was sentenced to nine years but walked free after just 18 months due to his good behavior while behind bars.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Gavin Moseley is a fixture in NYC nightlife, launching a string of successful bars and speakeasies frequented by friends and celebrities alike including his close friend, Kyle.
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Where to Find the Little Debbie Ice Cream The new ice cream bars on a stick are available at select retailers nationwide.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
The West Loop building, first completed in 1966 and now called The Bell, includes reconstructed offices, a health club with a cold plunge, several tenant lounges and bars, pickleball courts, a rooftop deck and Solette, a ground-floor casual restaurant.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Restaurants and bars have embraced pickles in creative and unexpected ways, offering pickleback shots (whiskey followed by pickle juice) and even entire menus centered around pickled ingredients.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
However, larger bars can be less flexible to sell, since they can’t be divided without being melted or refined.
—Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Lawmakers allege those organizations have engaged in political activity prohibited under federal tax law, which bars 501(c)(3) groups from participating in campaigns for or against candidates.
—Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The law, which takes effect July 1, bars courts and other adjudicatory bodies from enforcing provisions of foreign or religious law, with particular emphasis on the Islamic code known as Sharia law.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Hence a new lawsuit challenging a medical scholarship administered by the Department of Health and Human Services that bars applicants who don’t have Native Hawaiian ancestry.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The order Thursday also bars other agencies from cutting off their work with Anthropic.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
The task force also called on lawmakers to better align state law with federal law, which bars people convicted of certain crimes from obtaining fireworks licenses.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Trump was not a part of it since the Constitution bars him from running for president again.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr.
political, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
The decision bars introductory sociology from the state’s general-education catalog — the set of foundational courses all students must complete, regardless of major, across subjects such as math, science, humanities and social sciences.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
State law bars the governor from conducting state business while out-of-state.
—Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
-
The cost of the six-story hotel with its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture came in at nearly $1 million, or more than $18 million in today’s money, and featured marble floors, private baths, steel beams, and an electric elevator.—
Susan B. Barnes,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Workers have spent the past year stripping out everything on the 95th and 96th floors — the former home of the legendary Signature Room restaurant and the Signature Lounge — leaving nothing of the interior but bare concrete floors and exposed steel beams.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kansas City has been perched atop the ECHL standings nearly the entire season, a campaign in which the Mavericks have rattled off not one but two winning streaks of double-digit duration (12 and 14 games).—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Get a beautiful sunless tan without streaks, smell or orange color.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Instead of swing sets or seesaws, Noguchi imagined the land itself forming ridges, steps, and mounds that would invite free-form play.—
Terry Nguyen,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Cushion Moss Attractive cushion moss (Leucobryum glaucum) grows in charming clumps or mounds that are sure to stand out in any garden.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Most visitors to London see an old-world scrim of royal palaces, ancient pubs and West End theaters.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
-
New Haven’s Crown Street corridor flips the switch after dark, with Yale energy pouring into a compact downtown stacked with Irish pubs, dance spots, and late-night pizza joints that double as unofficial after-parties.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But through a series of deft legal maneuvers—joined to the ever more ambitious self-concepts of some international legal tribunals—Mauritius was able to win a second legal victory at another international tribunal, for the law of the sea.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The position will also represent the department in front of administrative tribunals such as the State Personnel Board and the California Department of Human Resources as well as assist the attorney general’s office on civil litigation matters.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated February 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The obstacles to a clean reauthorization appear most daunting in the House, where a number of Democrats and Republicans are insisting on changes, including one that would require a warrant before using the tool.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Those are usually the two biggest obstacles.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mason's Law will mandate the marking, guarding, and grading of storm drains to improve safety standards across the state.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Method Oregon is a non-profit established by a coalition of producers to ensure high standards and help place their wines on the map.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The bill prohibits agencies, including the police, from sharing sensitive information with federal immigration enforcement agents.—
Evangeline Chan,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
These are two distinct legal collection mechanisms, and nothing in federal law prohibits a creditor from using both at once.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
