behind bars

Idioms  

1. In prison, as in All murderers should be put behind bars for life. The bars here refer to the iron rods used to confine prisoners. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

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

This explains why roughly 1,200 prisoners of conscience, including some 700 arrested for participating in islandwide protests against the dictatorship on July 11, 2021, remain behind bars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Det Chf Insp Craig Kelly, the officer who led the investigation, said he was glad Milne was "behind bars, where he should be."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 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

One of the first things Fischer tried to do while he was behind bars was to ask permission to call someone—perhaps an attorney who could assist with setting bail.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady