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
Retail prices for coins and bars typically include premiums above the spot price. Usa Today, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Over the next two decades, records are few, most of them noting criminal convictions for fighting in bars, stealing a watch, deserting a whaling ship, and beating his wife. Literary Hub, 10 July 2026 The lineup also includes protein bars, pre-workout formulas, creatine and post-workout recovery products. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026 Nearby Seaside welcomes Acro and Tierras guests for beach trips, infinity pools with expert service, and plenty of lounging spaces and cafes/bars to choose from. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026 Instead of shakes or bars, PureGenius sells small, juice-like protein shots designed for on-the-go use. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026 Ready in about 30 minutes, these bars are extra moist thanks to sour cream, and are filled with chocolate chips. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 10 July 2026 Shanty has a ski village area with bars and restaurants with bachelorette parties, wedding parties and golfers right in the mix. Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 Eighteen establishments, including multiple bars and food stands at AT&T Stadium, received a perfect score of 100. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2026
Verb
The state also explicitly bars localities from adopting their own antidiscrimination ordinances. Scott Cohn, CNBC, 11 July 2026 On March 30, a Paris court convicts Le Pen and other National Rally officials of misusing European Parliament funds, sentences her to prison and bars her from seeking public office for five years with immediate effect. ABC News, 6 July 2026 The law also bars commercial activity on the property and requires public access be maintained. Alex Wigglesworth Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 5 July 2026 In May, four Memphis residents filed a pending federal lawsuit seeking to block the federal task force from applying a law that bars residents from approaching within 25 feet of law enforcement officers to record their activities. Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 The restriction bars the Defense Department from working with any company represented by lobbyists who also work for entities blacklisted by the Pentagon for allegedly aiding the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Kate O'Keeffe, Fortune, 5 July 2026 The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal in the case, seeking to determine whether federal law bars states from holding a company liable for failing to include a warning that the EPA reviewed and chose not to require. Sarah J. Morath, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Court bars asylum claims before refugees enter US Alito wrote another decision June 25 for a 6-3 majority that allowed the administration to turn back refugees at the border. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 July 2026 The framework bars funds from reaching non-state armed groups, which means a contractor's ownership and its access route into the south both need checking before money moves. Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • In addition to the pump and other aforementioned components, the purchase includes a patch kit for repairing punctured beams or base.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 July 2026
  • The off-limits area was later scaled back after work crews braced the buckling beams.
    Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • Excessive oil can clog the cloth’s fibers and smear grime across your stainless steel, creating unsightly streaks and residue.
    Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 15 July 2026
  • The Sparks have alternated winning and losing streaks while coping with injuries to Kelsey Plum and a porous defense.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Noun
  • Why to Fertilize Petunias Petunias are fast-growing plants that produce mounds of foliage and abundant blooms.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
  • Holston specifically recommends everbearing alpine varieties, which grow in small mounds and take up less space.
    Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 12 July 2026
Noun
  • Reporter Stephanie Breijo and senior food editor Danielle Dorsey wrote about their 15 favorite London pubs, food halls and bake shops.
    Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • The Cotswolds England's golden countryside is at its most inviting in autumn, when the pubs light their fires and the weather is right for layering without summer's heat or winter's bite.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 July 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
  • The president suggested talks could continue amid military strikes, but analysts say a deeply flawed preliminary truce deal poses obstacles for negotiators.
    Rachel Chason, Washington Post, 10 July 2026
  • In National Grid Partners’ 2025 survey of utility innovators, the top obstacles included talent and integration with existing systems, not the quality of the models.
    Frank Carnevale, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • But male-beauty standards have risen markedly during the past decade or so.
    Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
  • Loeb says the group is focused on evidence, instrumentation, data analysis and collection standards.
    Leonard David, Space.com, 11 July 2026
Verb
  • Opt for scalloped French tips with blue fresco detailing, or stripes the color of the Tuscan sun.
    Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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