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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bootleg
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
Dotson was again open downfield on a third-quarter bootleg.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for bootleg 
Noun
That hasn't panned out thus far, as Mahomes has been elusive on his five rushes for 18 yards, including a touchdown and fourth-down conversion on what looked like the same play call — a bootleg scramble toward the sideline.
4d ago / 5:06 PM PST
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Touchdown, Chiefs!
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
Dotson was again open downfield on a third-quarter bootleg.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
Land of the Free, Home of the Bootleggers When technology made music mobile, the American South changed from one type of bootlegging industry to another: copying and selling records.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for bootleg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootleg
Noun
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In recent years, the Harry Potter alum has been open about his history of drug and alcohol abuse.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
17 Feb. 2025
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Behind her was a group of patients who had bused there from a rehab center for drug and alcohol addiction.—
Dan Pompei,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Thus far, experts believe that labor costs haven’t spurred inflation, but with the unemployment rate already near historical lows and U.S. birth rates down, plans for mass deportations of unauthorized foreign workers, combined with higher tariffs, would likely add to overall inflationary pressures.—
Don Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2025
-
What States Allow Militias? All 50 states prohibit private, unauthorized militias from engaging in activities reserved for the state militia.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Lamar had it both ways last night, using the Drake candy to smuggle in his thesis on the perils of Black entertainment.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
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Large shipments of precursor ingredients for illicit fentanyl are sent from China to Mexico, where they are processed in labs and the final product is smuggled over the border into the US.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Canadian workers started pulling American booze off the shelves of government-run liquor stores in several provinces even before the U.S. tariffs went into effect.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2025
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Add that buzz kill to a flight of other challenges facing the booze business: Dry January – and its sober-curious companion in fall, Sober October – along with the thriving year-round embrace of lower-alcohol and non-alcohol options, especially by younger consumers.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Ken Kremer, a merchandising manager, said his brother has walked home from work for the past month because his car needed repairs.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
The Mercury News,
13 Feb. 2025
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Jennifer Lucchese is the vice president of merchandising hair care at Sephora.—
Sam Escobar,
Allure,
13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In preparation for Super Bowl LIX, many people stocked up on watch party essentials like wings, drinks, and snacks.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
10 Feb. 2025
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Other changes rolled out under Niccol include reimagining the vibe inside Starbucks’ locations — for example, bringing back condiment bars and offering free refills on some drinks for customers who stick around in the shop to enjoy their beverages.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Funds can be used for a variety of purposes such as child safety, household safety, active play equipment, egress windows, fencing for play areas and household alarms.—
Janean Sorrell,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
-
Since then, the motel has sat fenced off, even as the city — now led by Mayor Mike Johnston — has bought or leased other hotels around the city and quickly moved in those formerly living on the streets.—
Thomas Gounley,
The Denver Post,
4 Feb. 2025
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 Feb. 2025.
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