speakeasy

speak·easy | \ ˈspēk-ˌē-zē

How to pronounce speakeasy (audio)

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plural speakeasies

Definition of speakeasy

: a place where alcoholic beverages are illegally sold specifically : such a place during the period of prohibition in the U.S.

Examples of speakeasy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Expect live music, food trucks, and custom cocktails from Vikre Distillery in their basement speakeasy. — Nancy Ngo, Twin Cities, "Find inspiration and solutions at these home, garden and art tours," 28 Sep. 2019 As befits a speakeasy, Handsome John’s is a bit hard to find, tucked behind a storefront. — Brian Coyne, SFChronicle.com, "One Day, One Place: Mount Shasta, California," 11 July 2019 Come cocktail hour, the downstairs cellar bar will offer an appealing speakeasy atmosphere and an inventive drink list devised by veterans of the legendary Milk & Honey. — Louis Cheslaw, Condé Nast Traveler, "Tribeca Is New York’s Next Big Creative Neighborhood," 12 Nov. 2019 Disguised as a tailor shop called Tailor’s Union, this hidden speakeasy is revealed when a host takes you through a sliding door and into The Pocket lounge. — Brittney Oliver, Essence, "Black City Guide: 72 Hours in Memphis," 9 Sep. 2019 Beyond, ticket holders will find three stories of ice cream installations, including a gallery of ice cream history and a speakeasy-style lounge where sundaes and shakes are served. — Florence Fabricant, New York Times, "Museum of Ice Cream Returns With a Bigger Space," 9 Dec. 2019 The high-end, speakeasy-style bar and restaurant, formerly known as Kazimierz World Wine Bar, reopened under new ownership as Kazimierz Wine and Whiskey Bar. — Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, azcentral, "Going to Scottsdale Fashion Square? Here are 9 new restaurants to try in Old Town," 27 Nov. 2019 The speakeasy-style restaurant serves up Puerto Rican-style ramen, rice bowls, porch cakes and more, inspired by Adorno’s travels around the world and decades spent living in Hawaii. — Anne Nickoloff, cleveland, "Borikén Juke Joint brings new flavors to downtown Lorain," 6 Nov. 2019 Some places today operate speakeasy-style, others do business in plain sight. — Megan Cassidy, SFChronicle.com, "Money, murder and the ‘fish game’: Behind Oakland’s crackdown on gambling dens," 13 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'speakeasy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

12 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Speakeasy.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speakeasy. Accessed 18 January 2020.

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