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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The characters can be flawed, and cars can crash, McDermott says, but NASCAR wanted race scenes to look authentic and was adamant that the series not depict anyone driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
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To participate, travelers must be 21 or older, the legal age to purchase alcohol in the United States.—
Hali Smith,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Her aunt used to own the popular sandwich shop in the plaza, Ba Le Sandwich, and her parents owned a hair salon and liquor store across the street.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Dame asks Ava’s grifter castmate, Charlie, of all people, to procure a liquor license.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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People come in, just have a few drinks and listen to music, and then stick around and come to the next show and the next show.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
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The afternoon features food and drinks, a DJ, dancing, games, contests, a photo booth and music included in the cost of tickets.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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You into booze or drugs these days?—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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The booze came from former Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson, who hired Hirst into the organization back in 2018.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Guests are greeted by their butler with a drink on arrival (there’s nothing like rum served in a fresh coconut to welcome you to the Caribbean) and shown around their suite.—
Hollie Clemence,
TheWeek,
27 Apr. 2026
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Dark rum adds authentic flavor to these bars inspired by the cocktail.—
Jenavieve Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The yarns of Joe Turner interweave gradually, everyday chit-chat, bargaining, and flirtation interlocking over time with threads of mysticism — both the ghosts of a brutal history and the ancestral spirits that stand protective and defiant like a phalanx of angels with shining swords.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
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The voyage’s final night includes a spirits tasting under the Lyngen Alps at Aurora Spirit, the world’s northernmost distillery, and accommodation in its fjord-side cabins.—
Karen Gardiner,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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