as in pubs
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises
supposedly, that Broadway hangout was the favorite watering hole for 1940s celebrities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 watering holes
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.
—
Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
These are not your ordinary watering holes.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Best Restaurants Saba Rock Nestled on a tiny outcropping in the North Sound, there are few more iconic watering holes in the Caribbean than Saba Rock.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2026
For a nightcap, wander over to nearby Nê Cocktail bar, one of Hanoi’s hippest watering holes.
—Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
These many watering holes are reflective of the Lone Star state's varied geographic regions, from bald cypress swamps to mountainous desert lakes.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Previous Irish pubs in the area just felt like watering holes that served Guinness (and most bars serve Guinness nowadays anyway).
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2026
That location and the one in Louisville are surrounded by gift and thrift shops, arts centers, government facilities and watering holes.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
These watering holes might even attract other beneficial garden animals, says Lapic.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
These are not your ordinary watering holes.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Best Restaurants Saba Rock Nestled on a tiny outcropping in the North Sound, there are few more iconic watering holes in the Caribbean than Saba Rock.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2026
For a nightcap, wander over to nearby Nê Cocktail bar, one of Hanoi’s hippest watering holes.
—Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
These many watering holes are reflective of the Lone Star state's varied geographic regions, from bald cypress swamps to mountainous desert lakes.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Previous Irish pubs in the area just felt like watering holes that served Guinness (and most bars serve Guinness nowadays anyway).
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2026
That location and the one in Louisville are surrounded by gift and thrift shops, arts centers, government facilities and watering holes.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
These watering holes might even attract other beneficial garden animals, says Lapic.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watering holes
Noun
-
The workouts deserve a reward too, with plenty of cafés and pubs in the area to follow a long day on the water.—
Will Barker,
TheWeek,
29 Apr. 2026
-
To cater to them both, the ship is equally split between sports pubs and jazz bars, burger and pizza joints and Greek and Italian restaurants, casinos and theatres, etc.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As the vessel toured Baja California, Diana Sanders of Vacaville sampled tequila shots — 14 or 15 in total — from six ship taverns, tequileras and pubs, according to court documents.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
It's located among several other taverns and restaurants in the heart of Fells Point.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond the cattle drives, the Stockyards are home to rodeos, Western saloons and live music venues.—
Taylor Haught,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Soon after, the area became a hub with saloons, butchers, bakeries and department stores.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That’s how the system is supposed to work, and our agencies will keep at it as long as there are fraudsters around to put behind bars.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The coastal Georgia man arrested in 2018 and accused of torturing, killing and burying his two teenage children in the backyard of the family’s mobile home will spend the rest of his life behind bars after reaching a plea deal.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Federal officials said the money Tangeman laundered was spent by the group to live lavishly, including hundreds of thousands of dollars spent at nightclubs, and luxury handbags valued at tens of thousands of dollars that were given away at nightclub parties.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
For years, neighborhoods including LoDo and Ballpark have seen occasional violent incidents in the hours after nightclubs and bars close.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watering holes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watering%20holes. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
