as in pubs
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises
supposedly, that Broadway hangout was the favorite watering hole for 1940s celebrities
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Recent Examples of watering holes
In some parts of Hwange, natural seeps and seasonal watering holes provide supplementary water, while Wilderness helps pump water to artificial watering holes in the southeastern region of the park.
—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
28 June 2026
The bar at the Chequit, which had been one of the few local watering holes left on the island, closed during the off-season for the first time in memory.
—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Curbed,
22 June 2026
Forbes Travel Guide’s Best Hotel Bars For 2026 Hotel bars are havens for travelers—locals, too—and to honor the watering holes on the top shelf, Forbes Travel Guide recently released its 2026 Hotel Star Bars, which spans 18 countries, from Singapore to Scotland.
—
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
And a few miles south, Cape Canaveral's surf-centric neighbor, Cocoa Beach, offers a heartier menu of watering holes ranging from relaxed to raucous.
—
Marisa Spyker,
Southern Living,
19 June 2026
For example, drought often concentrates elephants around water and food sources, such as watering holes, where those sick or weakened by starvation are more likely to succumb to the harsh weather conditions, poor water quality, or predators who have taken notice of the herd’s behavior.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 June 2026
Add in a killer (and vintage) spirits collection and pop-ups hosting the world’s top watering holes?
—
Virginia Miller,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 June 2026
The Connaught’s watering holes are equally iconic.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.
—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
28 June 2026
The bar at the Chequit, which had been one of the few local watering holes left on the island, closed during the off-season for the first time in memory.
—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Curbed,
22 June 2026
Forbes Travel Guide’s Best Hotel Bars For 2026 Hotel bars are havens for travelers—locals, too—and to honor the watering holes on the top shelf, Forbes Travel Guide recently released its 2026 Hotel Star Bars, which spans 18 countries, from Singapore to Scotland.
—
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
And a few miles south, Cape Canaveral's surf-centric neighbor, Cocoa Beach, offers a heartier menu of watering holes ranging from relaxed to raucous.
—
Marisa Spyker,
Southern Living,
19 June 2026
For example, drought often concentrates elephants around water and food sources, such as watering holes, where those sick or weakened by starvation are more likely to succumb to the harsh weather conditions, poor water quality, or predators who have taken notice of the herd’s behavior.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 June 2026
Add in a killer (and vintage) spirits collection and pop-ups hosting the world’s top watering holes?
—
Virginia Miller,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 June 2026
The Connaught’s watering holes are equally iconic.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.
—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watering holes
Noun
-
Reporter Stephanie Breijo and senior food editor Danielle Dorsey wrote about their 15 favorite London pubs, food halls and bake shops.
-
The Cotswolds England's golden countryside is at its most inviting in autumn, when the pubs light their fires and the weather is right for layering without summer's heat or winter's bite.
Noun
-
Widely regarded as the country's culinary capital—a remarkable distinction in a nation renowned for its gastronomy—the city has earned a reputation for its traditional bouchons (taverns), bustling food halls, and world-class restaurants.
-
During his lifetime, Woody Guthrie saw America at ground level, riding boxcars, singing in taverns and on street corners, and even living for a time in a California migrant camp.
Noun
-
San Francisco was transformed almost overnight, from a quiet port into a chaotic boomtown packed with tents, saloons, stores and speculation.
-
While here, visitors can still see its multiple saloons, general store, and boarding house, among other buildings.
Noun
-
When World Cup season descends upon soccer-mad Brazil, green and yellow banners decorate restaurants, bars and apartment buildings, streets are painted with flags and soccer balls, and discussions of the beloved national team's games are ubiquitous.
-
The dynamic duo of Jonda Valentine, an artist and daughter of a Pentecostal preacher, and her longtime friend Christa Suppan, who started as a bartender when Lipstick first opened, share co-ownership of the two bars.
Noun
-
Up until his first day of filming Jackass, Steve-O was a clown in nightclubs, cruise ships and at a flea-market circus.
-
But downtown Sunnyvale really comes alive once the sun begins to set, with a vast array of bars, nightclubs and late-night dining peppered throughout the city’s streets.
Cite this Entry
“Watering holes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watering%20holes. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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