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]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

behind bars

Before Friday's release, Foro Penal said more than 350 political prisoners remained behind bars.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Missing your daughter’s youth while behind bars is a crushing weight, but knowing she’ll never see her father again is a far darker reality.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

In January, the Justice Department announced the conviction of two Georgia inmates who ran scams on stolen cellphones from behind bars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

After handing down the sentence Tuesday, Escobedo urged Halem to use his time behind bars as an opportunity to grow as a person and earn a college degree.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 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