bootleg 1 of 3

noun

ˈbüt-ˌleg How to pronounce bootleg (audio)
Definition of bootlegnext
as in alcohol
illegally produced liquor getting caught with bootleg during Prohibition could have resulted in a jail sentence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bootleg

2 of 3

adjective

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

bootleg

3 of 3

verb

as in to smuggle

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bootleg
Noun
Micro-ripstop jackets, a packable poncho, pleated cargo trousers, stretch double-jersey tops, skirts, bootleg trousers, performance shorts, technical jerseys and French terry hoodies round out the apparel range. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 Nearby, bootleg vendors had plenty of other options for anyone in need. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
After the songs were bootlegged for years, Coe began selling them on his website in 2000, though without his name on them. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026 With Dallas leading 27-21 and San Francisco driving late in the fourth quarter, Joe Montana and the 49ers lined up in a split formation, with Montana bootlegging out to the right upon taking the snap. — R.j. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 25 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootleg
  1. alcohol
  2. unauthorized
  3. smuggle
  4. booze
  5. merchandise
  6. drink
  7. fence
  8. moonshine
Noun
  • Kurtz also pointed to declines in cities like San Francisco, which is moving to support more sober-living options, housing that bans drugs and alcohol.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The founders saw an opportunity to create a product that could be enjoyed with or without alcohol, so no one at the gathering had to feel left out.
    — Julia Fields FOX News may be compensated for, or earn a commission if you buy through, our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of alcohol
Adjective
  • There are claims that Cabinet officials, politicians, journalists, civil society leaders and business executives were also subjected to unauthorized surveillance.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Police allege the unauthorized wiretapping took place between 2025 and 2026 — when Listyo was Indonesia's police chief — and that the suspects ordered the wiretaps without following proper procedure.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of unauthorized
Verb
  • Kseniia Petrov was accused of smuggling frog embryos into the United States.
    — Laura Romero, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Researchers found that metal goods continued to be smuggled despite strict government restrictions, raising the possibility that authorities deliberately turned a blind eye to the practice.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of smuggle
Noun
  • At the time, several residents said lifting the booze ban could be beneficial for local businesses.
    — New Jersey, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The cocktail, meanwhile, offers a punch of booze, heat, and salt.
    — John Kessler, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of booze
Verb
  • Dress shirts are merchandised in the center, and include the popular Traveler assortment.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Expect retailers to start merchandising home fragrance by room rather than by scent family, and expect brands to release coordinated multi-room sets.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of merchandise
Noun
  • A week prior to her death, Rogers had been picked up by police in the middle of the night after leaving her home without her parents’ knowledge and stealing a drink from a gas station.
    — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This multifunctional workhorse pulls double duty as a grill for outdoor dining and can even serve as a cooler for drinks when the flame’s out.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of drink
Verb
  • The indoor arena is surrounded by glass to maximize light and views, while the outdoor arena is fully fenced.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The project would include a splash pad, waterpark and pool restoration as well as pickleball courts, running track upgrades, outdoor fitness stations, an inclusive playground, and safety fencing around the club’s playground.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of fence
Noun
  • 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
Definition of moonshine

Browse Nearby Words

booting (up)
bootleg
bootlegged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of defer

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All