bars 1 of 2

noun

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
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

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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
as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult the complication of the molecule is the biggest bar to reproducing it

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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
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

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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

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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
Everywhere are cosseting details like stiffer mounting bushes and extra damping bars. — New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026 There are four specialized bars on the festival grounds that included speciality drinks and themes such as a sports bar and a chill cantina. — Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The Entertainment District Unit is a team created in 2025 to improve nightlife safety by targeting crime near bars, nightclubs, and sports and entertainment venues. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026 Among the establishments that offer video gambling are restaurants, bars, fraternal organizations and a few other venues. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026 Then trendy restaurants and bars and new condo development attracted crowds. — Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026 Head to Palm Beach for bars, shops, and nightlife, or visit the capital for local restaurants, shopping, and historic sites. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026 Success at the local theater means additional revenue for surrounding local businesses — shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops – that benefit from the foot traffic of the local cinema. — Paul Gunsky, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026 There’s also plenty of space to grab a drink at the three bars, one outside on its patio. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
Immigration and the border California law bars local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials except in the cases of people convicted of certain high-level felonies. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The law bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs that receive federal money. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 The policy also bars some mopeds and motorcycles, as well as some food items featuring whey, a popular protein-rich additive derived from dairy. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 Among the new laws is AB 2760, which bars law enforcement agencies from possessing or using wearable electroshock devices, including gloves designed to deliver an electric shock. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 Although the agreement bars using the AI model for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons, the groups still fear the technology is being used to select targets in the US’s ongoing conflict with Iran. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Oklahoma officials had argued that allowing the school into the program would violate the First Amendment’s establishment clause, which bars the government from establishing a state religion, an argument the judge rejected. — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026 The Israeli government largely bars international journalists from entering the Gaza Strip independently, while Palestinians in Gaza are generally not allowed to leave the Gaza Strip. — Drew Paul, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026 The agreement also bars retaliation against people who report possible compliance violations or otherwise cooperate with a company investigation. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
  1. beams
  2. streaks
  3. mounds
  4. pubs
  5. tribunals
  6. obstacles
  7. standards
  8. stripes
Noun
  • For months before today’s launch, Google has been anticipating those problems on Earth, shaking spacecraft to simulate the launch and bombarding its chips with proton beams to test their response to radiation.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Electron beams replace ovens Ateios says the process enables coating speeds of 30 meters per minute across a 300-millimeter-wide web.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of beams
Noun
  • Instead, after the New York Giants returned an interception in the final seconds to seal a 36-24 victory, one of the league’s most ignominious streaks grew.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The intersection was littered with burning car parts, streaks of blood stained the asphalt, and black smoke filled the sky.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of streaks
Noun
  • Stem cells, peptides, testosterone, pills, mounds of supplements just to keep everything balanced.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Settlers there were finding thousands of ancient Native mounds and earthworks, some bafflingly large.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of mounds
Noun
  • The economy During his first weeks as prime minister, Burnham announced a raft of policies targeting Britain’s economic woes, including the reduction of bus fares in England and cuts to business rates bills for pubs and music venues.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Once industrial and overlooked, this area is now one of the city’s most dynamic neighborhoods—home to galleries, boutique shops, pubs, and canal-side cafés.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of pubs
Noun
  • Any matters requiring legal enforcement are referred directly to the Texas judicial system, said the tribunal, which likened its work to the services provided by Jewish Beth Din courts and Catholic ecclesiastical tribunals.
    — David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Based upon their replies, occupying Allied officials ranked their culpability, then tried the worst offenders — most famously in the Nuremberg trials, but also in numerous local tribunals.
    — Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of tribunals
Noun
  • Getting a diagnosis, navigating treatment and paying for care can present obstacles of their own, particularly for patients who face gaps in access to healthcare.
    — Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Those are big potential obstacles to Hill returning to the Chiefs.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of obstacles
Noun
  • Professional societies and standards organizations will need to develop and regularly update the technical requirements.
    — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Cornell University’s investigation, of course, did not have to adhere to New York’s arguably archaic criminal standards, but its response, too, has triggered anger and disbelief across airwaves and social media.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of standards
Verb
  • Opt for scalloped French tips with blue fresco detailing, or stripes the color of the Tuscan sun.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 26 June 2026
Definition of stripes

Phrases Containing bars

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barrows
bars
bar sinister
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Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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