behind bars

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.

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

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "We are hitting back with a nationwide crackdown to shut these fronts down, seize dirty cash and drive organised crime off our high streets and put bosses behind bars."

From BBC • May 18, 2026

The government also plans to implement maximum-security standards in dozens of prisons across the country in a bid to sever organized crime leaders' ability to operate from behind bars.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

Under that plea deal, Gutierrez was poised to avoid spending time behind bars.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

One in 9 black men between the ages of twenty and thirty-five was behind bars in 2006, and far more were under some form of penal control—such as probation or parole.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander