behind bars
IdiomsExample 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 86-year-old disbarred lawyer, once the most prominent trial attorney in California, will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of wire fraud last year.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
She was sentenced to nine years in prison, but after Polis’ commutation, Peters is expected to be released on June 1, having served less than two years behind bars for her crimes.
From Slate • May 21, 2026
Some jurors teared up over the possibility of the young men spending decades behind bars.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
The difference shapes how much time Sharifullah could spend behind bars — the more serious charge was eligible for a life sentence.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
I don’t like seeing all those animals and birds and fish behind bars and glass just so a lot of people can stare at them.
From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
