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
Across the country, rooftop bars are extending their hours, restaurants are debuting fresh menu offerings and final calls at happy hours become the soundtrack for the night, marking the final weeks of summer. Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 For many, the Salted Nut Roll and Nut Goodie bars carried memories that lasted long after the wrapper was gone. Frankie McLister, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Because for sports spread thin across multiple broadcasters, and fewer bars, the headache for fans is only getting sharper. Leo MacLehose, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026 Sunday — as bars in the Cow Hollow area of San Francisco were closing — in the vicinity of Balboa Cafe at Greenwich and Fillmore streets. Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Many visitors walked by the hotel and would stop off at its bars and restaurants. Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026 The smattering of blocks near University of Québec at Montréal has historically catered to a bohemian-leaning collegiate set, as keen on its clusters of cafés and bars as its proximity to one of North America’s oldest gayborhoods, the Village. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 From a brownie mix to protein bars, here are the items to add to your cart during your next shopping trip to the popular grocer. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 23 July 2026 Amenities include award-winning restaurants, bars, the Paradise Springs water park, an event venue, the Relâche Spa and Salon and retail shops. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
Verb
Those letters also pointed out that the National Voter Registration Act bars election officials from systematically canceling voter registrations during the 90-day period before a federal election. Miles Parks, NPR, 31 July 2026 State law does not cap how much a landlord can raise the rent when a lease renews, and Pennsylvania also bars cities and counties from passing their own rent-control ordinances. Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 31 July 2026 California law specifically bars agencies in that state from sharing information with those in other states. T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 This decision effectively bars new models from receiving necessary FCC authorization, significantly impacting Chinese manufacturers who currently dominate the global humanoid robot market. John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 To keep the research impartial, all researchers must sign a legal agreement that bars them from trading on Polymarket or similar platforms while they are involved with the institute. Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 29 July 2026 And in June, Colorado passed a law that prohibits credit card funding of bets, and bars companies from marketing to those under 21 years of age. The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 27 July 2026 Federal criminal law already bars noncitizens from voting in federal elections. James Robenalt, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026 Federal law bars most health insurance plans from charging patients for prenatal visits, screenings, and some postpartum services. Camille A. Clare, STAT, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bars
Noun
  • The beams, in a 32-story project at 222 Broadway expected to yield nearly 800 apartment units, had been wrapped in steel as a makeshift fix, the agency said.
    Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • Yuri was able to gain more ceiling height by taking away the sheetrock and exposing the ceiling beams.
    Jennifer Fernandez, Architectural Digest, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Again, home run bets are long-shot wagers, so losing streaks are part of the equation.
    Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Due to the long exposure times required to view distant objects, the satellite trains resulted in long streaks of light across observations.
    Chris Young July 28, Refractor, 28 July 2026
Noun
  • Over the years, mounds, pottery shards and other relics of Native American settlements that once dotted the swamp have been discovered.
    Drew Kann, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • In an effort to starve the Native Americans of the Great Plains, white settlers massacred many millions of North American buffalo between 1870 and 1890, piling the animals’ skulls into monstrous mounds reaching up to the sky.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • Every August, the city transforms into a global stage as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival and a host of other cultural celebrations fill its streets, theaters and pubs with artists and visitors from around the world.
    Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Roughly 930 pubs closed in London between 2004 and 2024, and hundreds of hospitality businesses, including cafés and restaurants, closed near the end of 2025.
    Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Lawmakers are prohibited by the state Constitution from being paid representatives for individuals or entities before state agencies other than judicial tribunals.
    Jim Turner, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • In 1996, the United Nations selected her as chief prosecutor of the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • One of Thursday’s stations included the ‘Confidence Course,’ where campers crawled through tight spaces and wooden obstacles in their heavy gear.
    Julianna Mejia July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Set in the 1980s during the NASA space shuttle program, this suspenseful novel reveals the complexity behind every expedition, following the relationships and obstacles while conveying a love of exploring the unknown.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • The Pisces Moon in your 7th House of Partnership opposes Venus in Virgo, making another person’s needs hard to ignore while your own standards get louder.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the city will work on outreach to get vacant properties registered while putting together a guide explaining what the standards are for owners.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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