bars 1 of 2

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
Restaurants and bars in the neighborhood are reporting drastic drops in business after thousands of Angelenos sheltered in place under a constant plume of smoke. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 Benjamin Song, who shot an Alvarado Police Department officer in the neck during the July 4 incident at Prairieland Detention Center outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was sentenced to a century behind bars, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 24 June 2026 Prime Day deals are here, and headphones are at the top of countless search bars as shoppers scour for the best deal. Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 23 June 2026 After 42 years behind bars, Mayes is now being freed. Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 June 2026 But downtown Sunnyvale really comes alive once the sun begins to set, with a vast array of bars, nightclubs and late-night dining peppered throughout the city’s streets. Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 Thomas Gross, received the maximum sentence of 100 years behind bars, according to a report from The Associated Press. Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026 People flocked to their TVs, bars and watch parties in droves to catch the Knicks topple Goliath. Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 17 June 2026 Food and drink With 10 bars and restaurants, including the lobby cafe and one in the attached Beymen Mall, guests are spoiled for choice. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026
Verb
Aesha radios Nathan as much, and Nathan bars him from driving the Jet Ski. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 June 2026 The Obama-era Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which requires presidents to submit agreements related to Iran’s nuclear program to Congress for approval, temporarily bars the president from waiving sanctions while lawmakers review. Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 June 2026 Iran’s Hezbollah and Houthi proxies in Lebanon and Yemen have been damaged, but nothing bars Iran from resupplying them to continue making trouble throughout the region. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2026 Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a Texas man who challenged a federal law that bars certain drug users from having firearms. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 18 June 2026 The order bars William Applegate, 31, from contacting the singer, her sister Sarah Carpenter and her sister's significant other George Smith, who both live with her, for five years. Andrea Dresdale, ABC News, 18 June 2026 The new law bars gambling companies from sending push notifications to their app users, something that emerging research shows triggers people into betting more. Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026 But the administration counters that the law creating the Temporary Status Protection Program bars any judicial review of which migrants may live and work in the United States. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 June 2026 The ruling also bars them from speaking publicly about the character of any defendant or victim, the defendants’ relationships to one another, or their relationships to the victims. Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • There are scarlet curtains, rows and rows of empty chairs that give off a Shining vibe, and grand wooden beams on the ceiling.
    Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
  • Volvo engineers took those lessons and used them to design newer car models with an emphasis on extra-strong A-pillars roof beams, and windshield retention.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Scratches, streaks, and a hazy appearance are common results of treating oven glass like any other surface, especially when stains have been baked on for some time.
    Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
  • The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • At the time, certain teams wore BLM patches and stenciled the BLM logo onto the pitcher’s mounds.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2026
  • Regular mowing can also disrupt ant mounds.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Like any village worth its weight in cobblestones, quirky characters, and quaint pubs, Three Pines’ titular Quebec town harbors its share of dark secrets.
    Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
  • Bars and restaurants that serve craft beer have similarly been seeing less business, so taking Dad to a few of his favorite pubs, bars or taprooms would also be a recipe for a great day.
    Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • In 1996, the United Nations selected her as chief prosecutor of the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • Located just 2 miles away from the former insurance building that housed the residual mechanism, the ICC was set up as a permanent, global court to prosecute humanity’s worst crimes and forestall the need to create ad hoc tribunals for every conflict.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • Already, the dune had swallowed up the northern part of the parking lot along with trees and other obstacles in its way.
    Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
  • With so many preparation obstacles, Ghalenoei leaned on experience against Belgium, sending out the oldest starting 11 at a World Cup match since 1966, according to Opta.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • The United Kingdom is on course for its sixth prime minister in some seven years, as one political leader after another proves no match for a stubbornly weak economy, which has weighed on incomes and living standards, wearing down the electorate.
    Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
  • The sheriff said the agency remains committed to transparency, professionalism and ethical standards.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits all aircraft operations, including drone flights, within a 3-nautical-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet above ground level around certain stadiums hosting World Cup matches.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • The ban prohibits any item that could obstruct lifeguard views, overcrowd the beach, create tripping hazards, or hinder emergency responders.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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