behind bars

VERB

serving jail time

Synonyms

WEAK

confined imprisoned in jail in prison incarcerated jailed put away serving time under lock and key

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Judge Mrs Justice Lambert told the pair they would serve 40% of the sentence behind bars, with the remainder being served on licence in the community.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

It was while behind bars that Traci says she felt a calling to set up a construction company on her release.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Kornev’s tragedy is that, while he may not be behind bars, he can’t see the prison he’s trapped in.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

He spent more than a year behind bars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

Sometimes defenders have well over one hundred clients at a time; many of these clients are facing decades behind bars or life imprisonment.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander