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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Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
24 July 2025
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Ozzy Osbourne shared 3 children with first wife Thelma Riley The father of six children over two marriages, Osbourne has been vocal about how rigorous touring and alcohol use affected his family life.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Another must: Make the 30-mile drive out to Poplar Haus, a rustic restaurant, lodge, and craft liquor store off the scenic Gunflint Trail. Where to stay Book now: Agua Norte A five-minute drive from town, Agua Norte‘s two cabins and a loft overlook Lake Superior.—
Ashlea Halpern,
AFAR Media,
1 Aug. 2025
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Starting in February, bars and liquor stores in Canada removed bourbon and other U.S.-made spirits and wines from their shelves to protest President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and his unwelcome suggestion that our northern neighbors become the 51st U.S. state.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The coffee shops offer a variety of atmospheres and specialty drinks.—
Molly Gregory,
The Courier-Journal,
29 July 2025
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Their go-to picks include easy handheld items like mandarins, veggie chips, yogurt drinks, Babybel cheese and string cheese snacks that travel well between sports, dance and days at the pool.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
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Ozzy does his thing, making the music, playing the music, and staying off drugs and booze; Sharon does hers, managing Ozzy’s career, managing Ozzy, making the business decisions, counting the money, looking after Ozzfest, looking after Ozzy.—
Erik Hedegaard,
Rolling Stone,
22 July 2025
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He’s turned to booze and solitude and his work to distract himself from the pain and grief of that loss.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Suppose your palate for rum wants to travel across the islands.—
Ronny Maye,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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The extensive cocktail list is filled with Miami vices such as rum and mezcal.—
Keith Pandolfi,
The Enquirer,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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