as in alcohol
a distilled beverage that can make a person drunk
she blamed John Barleycorn for the breakdown of their marriage
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Recent Examples of John Barleycorn
Santa Claus had triumphed over John Barleycorn.
—
Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Dec. 2021
Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for John Barleycorn
Noun
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In total, 1,053,483 people died; 95,350 deaths from external causes (accidents, violent and alcohol-attributable causes), and 955,723 from other underlying causes.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Items not valid for the senior and discount included prescriptions, alcohol, tobacco, phone services, transit passes, postage, Arizona Lottery tickets, event tickets, fuel, gift cards, money orders and Western Union services.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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There are beer stands, dessert carts and liquor bars throughout the ballpark.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Victor Schwartz, a wine and liquor importer, spoke to ABC News.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Bubbles make almost every drink better (especially a bottle of bad rosé), and the Breville InFizz Fusion is a stylish, all-purpose sparkling beverage maker that will carbonate so much more than just water.—
Emily Farris,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
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An improper personal drink was found on the cook’s line.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Wild West saloon — fully equipped with fans, refrigerators, booze and a television — overlooks a pristine saltwater pool in the center of the quarter-acre yard.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Guests are invited to bring their own blankets, picnics, and booze (though concession stands and a beer and wine bar are on-site), and, typically, these events feature DJs before and after the show.—
Sophie-Claire Hoeller,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The latest expression that shatters the 140-proof mark comes from Louisville blender Barrell Craft Spirits, and this is one blend of whiskeys finished in Caribbean rum barrels that should be on any whiskey masochist’s bottle list.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
30 Oct. 2025
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The Matthews distillery opened by friends Matt Simpkins and Thomas Bogan uses North Carolina grains to make a variety of spirits, including whiskey, vodka, rum and gin.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The 40th release, however, marks the first time the brand has ever released a tequila—an extra añejo blend put together by a leading name in the agave spirits industry.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
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Cushla’s world is full of defiant spirits, including her mother, a woman struggling with addiction who spends most of her days bound to her living room and the bottom of a bottle.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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