In heraldry, the bar wavy is a symbol most commonly associated with water, rivers, lakes, and the sea, making it a natural emblem of geography, travel, life, and continuity. Like the standard bar, it runs horizontally across the shield, but its undulating form gives it a more fluid and expressive character, immediately suggesting moving water and all that it may represent.

 It often appears in the arms of families, towns, and institutions connected to waterways, maritime trade, bridges, harbours, or regions shaped by rivers and coastal life. In some cases, the bar wavy can also symbolize adaptability and endurance, reflecting the changing yet constant nature of water itself. It is a widely recognized feature in civic and municipal heraldry, where it is especially useful in representing local landscapes and natural boundaries. In heraldic design, the bar wavy combines elegant simplicity with strong symbolic clarity, making it one of the most effective ways to express both physical connection to water and the broader ideas of movement, renewal, and life sustained through place.