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Synonyms

barfly

American  
[bahr-flahy] / ˈbɑrˌflaɪ /

noun

Slang.
barflies plural
  1. a person who frequents barrooms.


barfly British  
/ ˈbɑːflaɪ /

noun

  1. informal a person who frequents bars

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of barfly

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; bar 1 + fly 1

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.

One disappointed man with a Gallrein sticker walked out, while a lone barfly looked at a broadcast of a PGA golf tournament.

From Slate • May 19, 2026

A daughter of Washington, D.C.’s Black bourgeoisie, Horn often attired herself in furs and white gloves, but she could outlast even the hardiest barfly as the night wore on.

From New York Times • Apr. 3, 2024

Jayme Hoskins has turned into a baseball barfly and let the free beers fly during recent Phillies’ postseason games.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2022

And by the end of the fourth "She-Hulk" episode, "Is This Not Real Magic?" the mononymous sorcerer has an adorable barfly handle: "Wongers."

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2022

He had begun to dress more neatly and speak more grammatically; to look and act more like a spaceman and less like a barfly.

From Space Viking by Piper, H. Beam

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