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.

Rodriguez, who served as Maduro's vice president, has also pushed through an amnesty law that led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners, though some 500 remain behind bars.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

And yet is it in the interest of justice to hold behind bars a person who’s not the same one who was sentenced?

From Slate • May 2, 2026

Cal McMau’s feature directorial debut hardly reinvents the formula, but it does remind audiences what remains so sturdy about the premise of an ordinary man trying to stay alive behind bars.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

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

Whether at the Job Corps or behind bars, he had missed many of the milestones in her growing up.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore