bars 1 of 2

Definition of barsnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Mesa's downtown has so much to explore, with unique art and local shops, to fun restaurants and bars. Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 10 Feb. 2026 Allegiances were declared at watch parties, debated at bars and occasionally broadcast on dating profiles. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026 The track, which thrums with delightful menace, blends Knocked Loose’s heavy riffs with Curry’s rapid-fire bars, deliciously denouncing group-think. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026 The cat who reaches through the kennel bars and hooks a paw around your finger. Cathy M. Rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, 10 Feb. 2026 In the coming days, Venezuela's president is expected to sign a sweeping amnesty law that could secure freedom for hundreds more prisoners still behind bars — a move that has advanced quickly through the National Assembly and is being billed as a step toward national reconciliation. Manuel Rueda, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026 After arriving at Marchesi’s laboratories, it is tempered and channeled into Grand Cru bars, dragées and pralines and hand-decorated by Diego Crosara, the brand’s pastry art director, and his team. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026 He was admitted to the Florida and New York bars, established a private law practice and got a real estate license. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026 Eleven Interiors designs homes that are meant for entertainment, incorporating elements like fun colors, party-ready bars, and dreamy kitchens. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Those lots can cost more, however, and the state permit San Diego has for H Barracks currently bars daytime parking. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026 The bill bars local governments from imposing several common zoning restrictions on the construction of ADUs — like requiring homeowners to live on the property or to increase parking space on their land. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026 Davis was referring to Senate Bill 4, a 2017 state law that bars local governments from limiting enforcement of federal immigration laws and allows penalties — including removal from office — for officials who do. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026 The same rule that bans smoking and the use of cell phones during debates, among other things, also bars the display of slogans, banners or plaques. Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026 This law bars county agencies from collecting or sharing immigration and citizenship information, as well as assisting with detaining or deporting individuals. Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 Federal law bars undocumented immigrants and many other recent immigrants from receiving full-benefits Medicaid coverage. Paul Kiefer, jsonline.com, 4 Feb. 2026 Minnesota law bars discrimination against trans people at work, in school, and in public accommodations; mandates gender-affirming care coverage under most insurance plans; outlaws out-of-state interference with gender-affirming care; and bans gender conversion therapy. Krys Malcolm Belc, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026 Specifically, the Democracy Preservation Act bars corporations from spending money to influence elections if a single foreign investor owns 1% or more, or if multiple foreign investors own 5% or more. Michael Gianaris, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • The Egg Nebula, so-named for its yolk (the star) surrounded by egg white (clouds of dust and gas), is extraordinarily dynamic, with twin beams of light punching through a series of rippling arcs.
    Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • After closing a section of I-94 in both directions on Friday night, crews planning to set beams for the new bridge scrapped the operation the next morning and had the interstate reopened by about noon on Saturday, more than 24 hours ahead of schedule.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Then, dampen a cleaning cloth or sponge with the mixture, and wipe down the stainless steel in one direction, towards the grain to prevent streaks.
    Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
  • And that means Ramos would end one of the strangest and funniest non-streaks in franchise history.
    Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Jim Lapic, master gardener with the Penn State Master Gardener Program, uses broken terracotta pots and places them along the sides of his garden mounds.
    Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Another repost shows mounds of garbage piled up in New York City after the recent snowstorm.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Local pizzerias expect to do plenty of business on Super Bowl Sunday, but the same won’t necessarily be true for Elgin-area restaurants and pubs whose owners say pro football’s biggest game of the year doesn’t generate big bucks.
    Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
  • To relax, people can hit one of the city's many pubs or sip on afternoon tea.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Several oil companies sought compensation through international tribunals and arbitrators.
    Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The Nuremberg trials also helped to establish precedents used in later international criminal tribunals, including those in the wake of the Bosnian war and Rwandan genocide, and influenced the formation of the International Criminal Court, which began operating in 2002 in The Hague.
    B.B. Blaber, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The researchers created the virtual animals and released them into a synthetic world, giving them tasks on how to navigate, avoid obstacles and find food.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
  • The secluded area in Arizona where Guthrie lives and appears to have been kidnapped in the early morning hours of February 1 continues to present obstacles, as does the intense media scrutiny.
    Elizabeth Hartfield, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The surveys show widespread skepticism that governments can really fix problems like the affordability crisis, rising inequality, declining upward mobility, and stagnating or declining living standards.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Tesla’s questionable qualifications To qualify for a voucher, manufacturers must obtain a zero-emission powertrain certification showing the vehicle meets certain performance standards.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Consistent with state law, Austin ISD prohibits employees from encouraging walkouts or protests, spokesman JJ Maldonado said.
    Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The Fort Lauderdale City Commission said the ordinance now prohibits the consumption of open alcohol containers and also bans outdoor alcohol sales in those SEDs.
    Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on bars

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!