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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Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash and whether alcohol or drugs played a role, authorities said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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Buying alcohol isn’t a constitutional right; under the 21st Amendment, states can regulate it.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But don’t worry, liquor stores and cannabis shops would be excluded (for now).—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
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Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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More than 22,000 oranges are squeezed, and hundreds of gallons of drinks are poured, all for opening day.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
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The same rule applies to fruity drinks, milk and iced tea.—
Brianna Taylor,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Keep the booze flowing at White Stadium during professional women’s soccer matches, the Boston City Council said when rejecting a measure that sought to uphold state law restricting alcohol at public school facilities.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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Besides abstaining from booze, scientists also don’t have a bulletproof way to prevent hangovers.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The commodities produced by slaves — sugar, tobacco, rum, and molasses — were shipped back to Europe, making vast amounts of money for British banks and the plantation owners in Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Haleiwa Distilling company, a popular destination that makes rum and moonshine, serves as a landing spot for donations and volunteers, mainly supported by the Lahui Foundation and a massive team of volunteers organized by locals Esme Damon and Brie Thomson.—
Chantell Murphy,
Outside,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The vice president of the Gardner PTA, Oralia Rodriguez, even brought ice cream to campus in an effort to lift spirits.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Pernod Ricard has spent recent years moving away from wine and toward spirits, including the December sale of Mumm Napa to Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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