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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
April 25 features 90 musical performances inside restaurants, bars, and coffee houses along a two-mile stretch of Adams Avenue from University Heights on the West through Normal Heights, and into parts of Kensington. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026 The Bvlgari signature cocktail – a bright blend of gin, Aperol, citrus, and a delicate foam stamped with edible gold – captures the hotel’s spirit in a single glass and is served in all its bars worldwide. Vicki Power, TheWeek, 31 Mar. 2026 Corrigan has personally seen evidence of rats surviving even the grisliest encounters with traps, as well as videos of rats pushing metal bars off their necks and surviving for months after losing limbs to traps. Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Restaurants and bars have embraced pickles in creative and unexpected ways, offering pickleback shots (whiskey followed by pickle juice) and even entire menus centered around pickled ingredients. Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026 Mule Alley opened in the summer of 2020 after the Stockyards ownership group spent years converting the historic livestock barns into upscale restaurants, boutiques and bars — with the luxury Hotel Drover as an anchor. Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026 The award is part of the inaugural Independent Restaurant Coalition and Chase Innovator Awards, which granted $1 million to 40 restaurants and bars nationwide that promote sustainability and environmental innovation. Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026 Silver coins are often easier to sell than silver bars, but bars may have lower premiums per ounce. Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026 In another incident, a seemingly hungry crew pilfered 12 tons of KitKat bars. Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
Hence a new lawsuit challenging a medical scholarship administered by the Department of Health and Human Services that bars applicants who don’t have Native Hawaiian ancestry. Editorial Board, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026 The order Thursday also bars other agencies from cutting off their work with Anthropic. Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026 The executive order, which took effect immediately, bars government appointees and their family members (including spouses and children) and their business partners from using insider state information to enrich themselves by betting on outcomes of current affairs, sports and other ventures. Lia Russell march 27, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026 Trump was not a part of it since the Constitution bars him from running for president again. Gromer Jeffers Jr. political, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026 The decision bars introductory sociology from the state’s general-education catalog — the set of foundational courses all students must complete, regardless of major, across subjects such as math, science, humanities and social sciences. Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026 State law bars the governor from conducting state business while out-of-state. Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 26 Mar. 2026 Privacy advocates argue the practice circumvents the Fourth Amendment and is contrary to a 2015 law that bars federal agencies from collecting bulk data on Americans. Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026 Baltimore's city council unanimously approved a bill on Monday that bars city police from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts and bans immigration officers from city buildings. Adam Thompson, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • Throughout the property, the original building's bones— beams, tiles, pillars, and window frames—were gently restored to show their age and patina, not conceal it.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
  • When these rapidly spinning neutron stars blast out radiation from their poles, that radiation sweeps across the cosmos like beams of light from a cosmic lighthouse.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Add remaining meringue in 3 batches, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition until only a few streaks of meringue remain (err on the side of undermixing to keep the cake batter billowy).
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Hot streaks happen – but so do cold streaks.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The soft glow of lanterns against ancient mounds turns a seemingly simple walk into a reflective, cinematic journey through American history.
    Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Huge snow piles, huge snow mounds.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • New Haven’s Crown Street corridor flips the switch after dark, with Yale energy pouring into a compact downtown stacked with Irish pubs, dance spots, and late-night pizza joints that double as unofficial after-parties.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The ban affects Christian neighborhoods in Damascus that are famous for their restaurants and pubs.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But through a series of deft legal maneuvers—joined to the ever more ambitious self-concepts of some international legal tribunals—Mauritius was able to win a second legal victory at another international tribunal, for the law of the sea.
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The position will also represent the department in front of administrative tribunals such as the State Personnel Board and the California Department of Human Resources as well as assist the attorney general’s office on civil litigation matters.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado Updated February 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But some of the obstacles to growth in Half Moon Bay are self-imposed.
    John Ramos, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The robot can respond to voice commands and is programmed to keep safe distances from people and obstacles.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Consumer advocates said the findings support SB 1076, a bill that would require insurers to offer coverage to homeowners who meet state fire safety standards.
    City News Service, Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • In response, rental companies are implementing stricter cleaning standards, higher security deposits, and more surveillance.
    Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The Welcoming City Ordinance in Chicago prohibits police from participating in civil immigration enforcement operations or assisting ICE.
    Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Min Aung Hlaing, who holds the rank of senior general, had earlier relinquished his post of the commander-in-chief because the constitution prohibits the president from simultaneously holding the top military position.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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