behind bars

VERB

serving jail time

Synonyms

WEAK

confined imprisoned in jail in prison incarcerated jailed put away serving time under lock and key

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.

He has already spent more than five years behind bars as the trial has progressed.

From Barron's

For the next 11 months, a teenage aunt and other family members cared for me while my mom remained behind bars.

From The Wall Street Journal

Anthony Duran said he waited until the Martins were behind bars to say anything about the group because he feared for his own safety.

From Los Angeles Times

Mokbel spent about 18 years behind bars but was released on bail last April after a court ruled he had a strong chance of overturning the criminal convictions.

From Barron's

Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019, owned an island in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times