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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in to smuggle
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bootleg
Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026
From her low-rise bootleg jeans to her slinky slip skirts and dresses, CBK knew how to curate a quiet luxury look with a few key pieces.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 25 Feb. 2026
Al Shipley, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
The quarterback can bootleg in and out of the perimeter of cameras, as the testing aims to simulate as many football movements as possible.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Noun
Luhrmann spent two years hunting the audio tapes — even buying bootleg recordings — and syncing them with the film footage.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026
From her low-rise bootleg jeans to her slinky slip skirts and dresses, CBK knew how to curate a quiet luxury look with a few key pieces.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
Living in Woodstock, New York, Dylan spent a lot of time in nearby Saugerties at the Band’s famous Big Pink house, recording dozens of songs that were heavily bootlegged and sometimes sent to other artists to record.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
The quarterback can bootleg in and out of the perimeter of cameras, as the testing aims to simulate as many football movements as possible.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootleg
Noun
-
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants before bed.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
10 June 2026
-
The state patrol says alcohol wasn't involved and both women were wearing their seat belts.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
More than 60 local, county and state law enforcement agencies in places where the games will be held recently completed a first-of-its-kind federal training program to help detect and deter the unauthorized presence of drones near World Cup sites and related fan events.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
The payment network has faced years of scrutiny over fraud and unauthorized transfers, including a lawsuit filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in December 2024.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The kingdom slapped a ban on Lebanese fruits and vegetables in 2021, saying they were being used to smuggle drugs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
-
Two British men were sentenced in March to nine and 11 years in prison respectively after they were found guilty of smuggling cocaine into Bali.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The dark spirit might be more commonly thought of as a cozy, cool-weather sipper or associated with booze-forward drinks served up, but there’s plenty of reason to enjoy it in the summer too, and this cocktail proves why.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
-
What transpires is the best scene in the movie, following two people lifted by collaboration, bonded through booze and creativity, freely sharing notes on each other’s songs.—
Adam Graham,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
This round gives us the working capital to show up the way our retail partners and customers deserve, fully stocked, beautifully merchandised, and with the marketing muscle to match.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
-
The Squeeze team has merchandising, a popular social media presence and tons of support across the country.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The hotel's Ajax Tavern, directly facing the mountain, has indoor and outdoor seating and is a great spot for a drink or hot bowl of soup (or, why not, a Wagyu cheeseburger with truffle fries) while watching people make their final runs down at the end of the day.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
The bar offers wall-to-wall TVs, food, drinks and game day specials.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
To prevent interactions with outsiders, the government's environmental impact report proposed using barbed wire to fence off areas Shompen communities are known to inhabit.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
7 June 2026
-
Olsen said the significance came to light after an archeological study was completed last year, when the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted to install fencing around the dog park area.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Today, Jones and his wife, Peg Hays, use this original still pot design to make award-winning, small-batch mash bill bourbons, moonshines, and more.—
Michelle Polizzi,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
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The nettle moonshine might also be behind Huldah’s new backbone.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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