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.

The government also plans to implement maximum-security standards in dozens of prisons across the country in a bid to sever organized crime leaders' ability to operate from behind bars.

From Barron's • May 12, 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

He took his place, standing behind bars as the families looked on.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 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

Prisoners didn't like the thought of being behind bars while their mothers, wives, girlfriends, or children were preyed upon.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos