moonshine

noun

moon·​shine ˈmün-ˌshīn 

1

: moonlight

2

: empty talk : nonsense

3

: intoxicating liquor

especially : illegally distilled corn whiskey

Synonyms of moonshine

• alcohol
• booze
• bootleg
• drink

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

Beets rear their head once more in the B&B, where they are infused with moonshine. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026

Hence the gorgeous moment when Mi-ok joins Ho-seok for a nightcap under the stars—secret moonshine—and affirms that, in the face of insurmountable problems, enduring them together is their only solution. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Barthel laments that anti-cannabis laws encouraged growers to develop highly potent strains, just as Prohibition in the 1920s put potentially lethal moonshine into circulation. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 July 2026

To try some of that moonshine yourself, stop by Adventure Distilling Company for tastings and live music in the summertime. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026

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
• brucine
• byline

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