as in alcohol
illegally produced liquor
getting caught with bootleg during Prohibition could have resulted in a jail sentence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in unauthorized
made or sold illegally
During the Prohibition era, many people made their own bootleg whiskey. He was arrested for selling bootleg copies of the album.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to smuggle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of bootleg
James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Jones also rushed for a touchdown after keeping the ball on a bootleg.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Owen Myers, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024
With a dual tape deck recorder, a duplicate copy of any cassette can be copied onto a blank tape, allowing for commercial recordings to be easily shared and bootlegged.
—John Morrison, SPIN, 13 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bootleg 
Noun
Nowadays, those bootleg items from the ’80s and ’90s can fetch hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars on the resell market because of their rarity.
—James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Jones also rushed for a touchdown after keeping the ball on a bootleg.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Verb
The essay topics include Cher, Madonna, and Whitney Houston, as well as Cat Power bootlegs, an obscure Hop Along CD-R, and a perfect Kim Gordon playlist of two songs designed to be heard on a loop.
—Owen Myers, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024
With a dual tape deck recorder, a duplicate copy of any cassette can be copied onto a blank tape, allowing for commercial recordings to be easily shared and bootlegged.
—John Morrison, SPIN, 13 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bootleg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootleg
Noun
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The science behind the link between alcohol and cancer The relationship between alcohol and cancer has been clear to scientists for decades.Nikki Crowley, The Conversation, 10 Jan. 2025
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She was arrested on suspicion of charges including causing bodily injury while driving under the influence of alcohol and obstructing/resisting an officer.Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communication line failure, theft, or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of the Media.USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
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Preliminary findings indicate that an unauthorized person obtained certain files, which could contain personal data.Wes Davis, The Verge, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Nosferatu — which has nabbed four Critics Choice Awards noms and landed on multiple Oscar shortlists — embodies horror’s ability to smuggle in its big ideas, making powerful arguments without overt reference to the background political realities.Eric Kohn, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
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Across the street, the shelves of a small corner store look very different from only a few weeks ago, when shop owners had to smuggle foreign brands and hide them from most customers.Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This Nonalcoholic Negroni Is My Ticket to Hangover-Free Mornings All the bittersweet flavor of the original, none of the booze.Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appétit, 9 Jan. 2025
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Such a person generally doesn’t have to worry about the dire effects of booze on their microbiome.Betsy Andrews, Saveur, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The brand then spent two years adjusting its original sizing, changing silhouettes and fits, and making the styling and merchandising more gender-fluid, to align with the feedback.Irina Grechko, refinery29.com, 19 Sep. 2024
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And while the league did improve its ratings and merchandising sales, it is still reportedly projected to lose money this year.Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
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In-room extras for Yacht Club guests include a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine, nightly turn-down service with a plate of chocolates or other sweets, free minibar drinks, bottled water replenished daily, and free Wi-Fi.Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2025
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This includes formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (puree pouches count).Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some of those fields were plowed and fenced long after the fortress had crumbled into rubble; aerial photos reveal where plows tore into the foundations of ancient structures.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2025
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Mike McConnell, a local advocate for unhoused residents, called clearing people’s belongings and fencing current encampment locations treating the symptoms of a much larger problem that started in downtown San Diego with camping bans.Paul Sisson, The Mercury News, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Similar to moonshine, that unsavory reputation still follows the modern spirit.Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Oct. 2024
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And its secret ingredient is a storied family recipe for Eastern Kentucky moonshine.Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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