bars 1 of 2

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
Food and drink The restaurant and bars (there are two) are the main draws here and will no doubt draw locals like me in addition to out-of-towners. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 The chocolates are made with crunchy kataifi, the sweet, shredded phyllo dough traditionally used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean pastries and a main ingredient in the Dubai bars. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 Available in a wide range of flavors, some protein bars provide up to 21 grams of protein per serving. — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 22 Oct. 2026 Made with a few pantry staples, these bars are no-bake and do not require a mixer or oven. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2026 Things to do 🍻The best restaurants and bars within one mile of LAX (minus In-N-Out). — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Footwear developments include the RDJ 7/3 double-raschel machine, whose three jacquard bars allow manufacturers to create larger openings, differentiated functional zones and multicolor designs. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 Without that entertainment district status, bars in Himmarshee could be forced to close. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
Both letters cited the National Voter Registration Act, a federal law that bars states from systematically removing ineligible voters from state voter rolls during the 90 days before an election. — Miles Parks, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026 The draft also bars other federal departments, agencies, and officials from suspending a model’s development, deployment, or internal use. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 The National Flood Insurance Program, which covers the vast majority of flood insurance policies in the country, bars communities from allowing dry floodproofing of homes in flood zones. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Its central argument is that nothing in Indian law or the OCI regulations bars a cardholder from attending a protest. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 The directive bars brands from turning a benefit tied to one feature into an environmental claim about the whole product. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 The temporary restraining order by Judge Jennifer Rochon in Manhattan federal court also bars the Department of Homeland Security from spending any more of the $20 million allocated for the ad campaign. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 Specifically, the law prohibits municipal governments from requiring businesses to set specific wages, benefits or working conditions under contract, and bars them from forcing businesses to join task forces formed to address those issues. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026 One of Broward’s rare breakout pop acts, Black Violin’s Wil B and Kev Marcus are Dillard High grads who began turning heads playing hip-hop on viola and violin at Fort Lauderdale bars about 20 years ago. — Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • At its heart, the greatest album of all time beams with try-hard enthusiasm for popcraft—but don’t try telling Stel that.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • These cataclysmic explosions spray intense radiation and beams of energy through the universe at close to the speed of light.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Longhorns haven't had any losing streaks since Sarkisian's first team in 2021 dropped six in a row.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Thankfully, these aren't the nests of some colossal moon-dwelling arachnids, but streaks of bright material cast across the lunar surface by the violent impacts that created the bright young craters.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Israel regularly imposes restrictions on movement across the Palestinian occupied territory with some 925 checkpoints, roadblocks, earth mounds and other barriers.
    — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But despite this, they were still conceived of as being located within the mounds themselves, real-world anchors for these strange, marvelous realms.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Corti Brother’s is no hidden gem–it’s frequently written up in national food and travel pubs as one of the state’s best grocery stores.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • After spending much of his late 20s and early 30s in traditional English pubs, Teti also noticed the lack of a real dive bar in the city – a staple in the US.
    — Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, while posturing as the guardian of a democratic transition, governed through massacres and military tribunals.
    — Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Any matters requiring legal enforcement are referred directly to the Texas judicial system, said the tribunal, which likened its work to the services provided by Jewish Beth Din courts and Catholic ecclesiastical tribunals.
    — David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Icy weather, snowstorms, obstructive foliage and rugged terrain along the wild Rockies were just some of the obstacles Ben Nickell and Anne Koski faced on a 10-year journey to climb the highest point in each of Idaho’s 44 counties.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • As the industry kept growing, Congress added safety, noise and emissions standards to protect the communities living beneath the flight paths.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Staff are attentive and helpful without being overly formal, delivering the high standards of a larger hotel with the personal touch of a boutique property.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Opt for scalloped French tips with blue fresco detailing, or stripes the color of the Tuscan sun.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bars. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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