moonshine

noun

moon·​shine ˈmün-ˌshīn 

1

: moonlight

2

: empty talk : nonsense

3

: intoxicating liquor

especially : illegally distilled corn whiskey

Synonyms

• bootleg
• mountain dew
• white lightning

Examples of moonshine in a Sentence

Everything they said was just a load of moonshine.

during Prohibition, moonshine and “bathtub gin” were made secretly

Recent Examples on the Web

Arriving at a rustic log cabin, you’ll be greeted by a shot of moonshine dispensed by another cowboy, while a third strums his guitar and croons songs about life on the open range. —Sophie-Claire Hoeller, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025

He was born to a Black mother, Annette Étienne, who worked as a street vendor selling cigarettes, charcoal, candy and moonshine, while raising eight children, and a white father, Benjamin Lyles, an American businessman who abandoned the family. —Randal C. Archibold, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025

But the season's No. 1 takeaway was clear: Never drink Mags Bennett's apple pie moonshine. —EW.com, 19 Feb. 2025

Similar to moonshine, that unsavory reputation still follows the modern spirit. —Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for moonshine

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• byline
• canine

Kids Definition

moonshine

noun

moon·​shine ˈmün-ˌshīn 

1

: moonlight entry 1

2

: meaningless talk : nonsense

3

: alcoholic liquor

especially : illegally produced whiskey made from corn

moonshiner

-ˌshī-nər

noun