John Barleycorn

noun

Definition of John Barleycornnext
as in alcohol
a distilled beverage that can make a person drunk she blamed John Barleycorn for the breakdown of their marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 John Barleycorn And when Traffic reconvened in 1970 to record their comeback album John Barleycorn Must Die, Mason wasn’t involved. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for John Barleycorn
  1. alcohol
  2. liquor
  3. drink
  4. booze
  5. rum
  6. spirits
Noun
  • Since 2004, the group has run a learning center for children, raised awareness about drug and alcohol abuse and brought doctors and mobile clinics into this neighborhood with very few basic services.
    — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The creator of vivid, indelible fantasies for women to try on and to embody was also a fragile and anguished man, troubled throughout his life by alcohol, drug dependency, and bouts of debilitating depression.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of alcohol
Noun
  • Overnight, a category that spread into gas stations, liquor stores and grocery chains would lose its legal footing, and the drinks Cann sells at Target and Circle K would have to come off the shelves.
    — Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • One of them, a shorter, bearded man with a nose reddened and swollen from years of abusing liquor, gave a low whistle.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Definition of liquor
Noun
  • Nonalcoholic drinks are given as much care as the spirited cocktails; try the lemon-lavender-ginger Root Chakra for a sophisticated alternative.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026
  • Granada is open just six hours a day, 9am to 3pm, timed around the couple’s daughter’s school schedule, and on its busiest days serves up to 300 drinks.
    — Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of drink
Noun
  • The Sports Playbook Shifts From Beer To Spirits For decades, booze sales in sports stadiums were dominated by large brewers.
    — John Kell, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • That led to most Canadian provinces banning the sale of American booze as of March 2025 (only Alberta and Saskatchewan have lifted their bans).
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 July 2026
Definition of booze
Noun
  • Tiki culture, originating in the 1930s, is experiencing a significant resurgence, now expanding beyond rum-only drinks.
    — Carissa Chesanek, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • My drink of choice was The Plea Deal, a Tiki-esque take on a Painkiller, with rum, orange and pineapple juices, coconut cream, and more.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of rum
Noun
  • The spirits Gu-cheon interacts with throughout the series were invisible on set.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Fatty Arbuckle’s Pub, established in 2003, is home to over 200 different whiskeys and fine spirits.
    — USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of spirits

Browse Nearby Words

john
John Barleycorn
John Barleycorns
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Cite this Entry

“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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