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
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
Santa Claus had triumphed over John Barleycorn.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Dec. 2021
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Santa Claus had triumphed over John Barleycorn.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for John Barleycorn
Noun
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In the years after Buffy, Brendon, who did not have any kids, spoke out about struggling with depression as well as alcohol and substance addictions, checking into rehab between multiple arrests, including for domestic violence charges and prescription fraud.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
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Smilianska was never asked to take a test for drugs or alcohol.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Noun
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The investigation is ongoing, and details where and how the liquor was manufactured have not been released.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
22 June 2026
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On their way to Foxborough for an opening match against Haiti, Scottish fans reportedly bought up all the beer—including Tennent's Lager, a popular beer in Scotland—at local bars and liquor stores.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 June 2026
Noun
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For drinks, lean on pre-batched cocktails, a help-yourself bar, freezer-door cocktails or wine.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
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Sandlot Social softly opened this week, offering cheap drinks, beer pong, putt-putt and — perhaps most notably — 10 baseball simulators.—
Jenna Thompson
June 18,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Noun
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The bagpipes, the booze, the kilts!—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
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The boat was later found to contain 61 empty and partially empty booze bottles and cans, after FWC officers pulled the boat from the bay a day after the crash.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The latter is inspired by Prohibition-era nightlife, with notes of rum, tobacco, and smooth, velvety orris.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
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This cocktail is made with rum, jasmine cardamom syrup, lime, and soda water.—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Thank you for a plethora of news on June 17 that didn’t crush our spirits.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
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As one of the world’s largest spirits conglomerates, the company certainly had access to some choice, well-aged stocks.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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