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
Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
By 1990, bootleg versions of the book had washed up for sale in the pages of far-right magazines, peddled alongside sulfurous predictions of American concentration camps and a helpful who’s who of global elitists.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Susan Saulny, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Noun
That presents an opportunity for Iowa’s passing game to take another step in Lester’s Shanahan tree style of attack with more bootlegs and play-action passes.
—Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
By 1990, bootleg versions of the book had washed up for sale in the pages of far-right magazines, peddled alongside sulfurous predictions of American concentration camps and a helpful who’s who of global elitists.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
This was the era of Prohibition, dominated by bootlegging gangsters—Chicago alone was said to be home to 1,300 gangs—and some police departments adopted increasingly brutal tactics to wring the truth out of suspects: beating and burning detainees with cigarettes, or depriving them of sleep.
—Susan Saulny, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootleg
Noun
-
During another work trip, the source alleges, Gatto insisted his employees come back to his room to drink, despite publicly claiming to be sober in interviews (and frequently boasting that he’s never had a sip of alcohol before, per the source).—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Rick Rodriguez, 24, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and was hospitalized with major injuries, the CHP said.—
Jenny Gold,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Questions have been raised about whether the Signal chat violated the Espionage Act, a 1917 law criminalizing unauthorized storage or disclosure of sensitive defense information.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The burn ban prohibits burning yard debris, land clearing, recreational fires and unauthorized piles of debris to reduce the wild-land fire threats and protect lives, property and natural resources.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The next day, Rendon made an agreement with Lomeli-Luna to smuggle more than 2 pounds of methamphetamine across the border, according to prosecutors.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
-
It had been written by a migrant who’d managed to smuggle a cellphone into the facility by hiding it in his shorts.—
Lomi Kriel,
ProPublica,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
There, spectators competed to outdo one another with outrageous costumes and copious amounts of booze.—
Andrew McNicol,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The casts of Summer House, Winter House, and Southern Charm are beefing over booze brands across the Bravo-verse, on podcasts, and in the tabloids.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The note went on to highlight that, of the 20 clubs with the highest such revenues, City’s kit and merchandising income comprised the lowest proportion of overall income.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
The Athletic,
19 Mar. 2025
-
The Red Room establishes an impressive, grand introduction to the store, and is gracefully merchandised with footwear on exquisite circular onyx tables.—
David Moin,
WWD,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
There are plans for some of the bars to do double duty during the day, even when not pouring drinks.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
And their friendship had always operated in leisure: long meals, afternoon drinks, dressing up to go dancing.—
Ayşegül Savaş,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Amid the park’s ongoing renovations, which also means the spring run remains closed for swimming, the walkway leading to the spring head is fenced off but opens up for after-hours firefly viewing, a special treat for ticketed guests.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Years of recovery lie ahead for what’s left of Bidwell Mansion as the historic Chico estate remains fenced off and hollowed out nearly three months after being ravaged by flames.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacramento Bee,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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