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Synonyms

watering hole

American  

noun

Informal.

  1. a bar, nightclub, or other social gathering place where alcoholic drinks are sold.

watering hole British  

noun

  1. a pool where animals drink; water hole

  2. facetious a pub

"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

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.

In the nearby town of Banissa, the man-made watering hole that once held 60,000 cubic metres of water is dry, leaving a barren expanse that children have turned into a playground.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

Seemingly nonstop construction has since turned Amazon workers and various contractors into regulars at the watering hole, where Speelman now stocks Texas-made Shiner Bock lager to appeal to transplants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

The WallStreetBets subreddit that came to prominence during the 2021 GameStop moment is a digital watering hole for people who think they can make a buck whether the markets are going up or down.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2025

Zarazua, who has worked at the popular WeHo watering hole for more than 30 years, remained in the hospital Wednesday afternoon, according to A.J.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2024

A giant sign at its edge beckons them to stop and rest like gazelles at a watering hole.

From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate

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.