John Barleycorn

noun

Definition of John Barleycornnext
as in alcohol
a distilled beverage that can make a person drunk she blamed John Barleycorn for the breakdown of their marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of John Barleycorn And when Traffic reconvened in 1970 to record their comeback album John Barleycorn Must Die, Mason wasn’t involved. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for John Barleycorn
  1. alcohol
  2. liquor
  3. drink
  4. booze
  5. rum
  6. spirits
Noun
  • Rubbing Alcohol Head to the drug store for a bottle of 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to clean windows.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Food and drink Three meals a day—included in the rate, except for alcohol—are served in the main lodge, with every group being assigned the same table during their stay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of alcohol
Noun
  • The company radioed for its medical emergency response team but didn’t explain that white liquor had been released, according to the report.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The brand’s whiskey is sold nationwide, including in Kansas City-area liquor stores.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of liquor
Noun
  • Now, to the handwashing shortcomings, such as a cashier handling customer’s payment, then preparing drinks and serving plates of food to customers without washing hands (cash and payment cards tend to be germ motherships).
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Sucré also produces non-alcoholic drinks from California wine grapes.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of drink
Noun
  • Trump demanded that Canada put American booze back on Canadian shelves.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, our northern neighbor banned the sale of American booze (which is still ongoing in nearly all Canada’s provinces today).
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of booze
Noun
  • The pineapple and coconut rum baba afterward was the dessert of my dreams.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The distillery uses both cane juice and molasses to make its rum, and eschews the use of sugar or additives.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rum
Noun
  • The project follows a husband and wife who buy their dream ranch only to discover the land is alive with ancient spirits, and survival means submitting to increasingly disturbing rituals with each turn of the season.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Directed by Geum Dong-ho, the musical animation follows a singer-songwriter with the supernatural ability to see spirits who joins forces with a quartet of ghosts to form a musical troupe.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of spirits

Browse Nearby Words

john
John Barleycorn
John Barleycorns
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Cite this Entry

“John Barleycorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/John%20Barleycorn. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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