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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

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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

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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
Whereas Marvel Tokon looks unforgettable, Wolverine's bland stab at realism looks like little more than another boring bootleg movie. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 On the streets below, vendors are hawking bootleg merchandise as stragglers from the festivities color the sidewalks with blue-and-orange jerseys and hats. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 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
  • Sales for many alcohol brands in the US market have been sluggish as consumers in recent years, particularly younger ones, moderate their drinking or seek out more budget-friendly options.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
  • But to jump to conclusions that the intent of this celebration was to drink alcohol and specifically beer was a leap.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of alcohol
Adjective
  • The agent gained unauthorized access to the public-facing Medicare Statistics Reporting Service, enabling it to access both public and non-public files, and to write files to an internal server.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Those capabilities include autonomous self-improvement, attempts to evade oversight, and certain forms of unauthorized system access.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of unauthorized
Verb
  • Initially indicted only for alleged money laundering, he has since been accused by federal prosecutors of conspiring to smuggle cocaine on the high seas and narco-terrorism.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In early 2025, federal agents intercepted several boats smuggling Chinese nationals to South Florida from the Bahamas, and one boat made it to shore, offloading 26 people from China in Coral Gables.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of smuggle
Noun
  • The bigger shift is that booze doesn’t have to be the point anymore.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Abrams even owns a winery (Ev&Em) and a Rotten Tomatoes-for-booze company The Daily Pour.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of booze
Verb
  • The Pacific Palisades store is sectioned out more into zones than the previous one; the company sat down with the buyers and visual merchandizing teams to be more strategic in allotment, whether carving out space for denim or The Row.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The merchandising giant Fanatics launched a 21+ prediction platform last year.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of merchandise
Noun
  • At Saksey’s, a cocktail bar in Detroit, the Sarti Spritz has become one of the bar’s top-selling drinks since hitting menus last month.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Serafina, the resort boutique, stocks everything from sunscreen, bathing suits, sandals, and cover-ups to grab-and-go snacks and drinks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of drink
Verb
  • That convenience is exactly what platform players want to sell, and what regulators are now trying to fence in.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Both areas are fenced and protected, and NOAA Fisheries urged beachgoers not to disturb these sites.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of fence
Noun
  • The Carnaval de Guaranda, for instance, takes inspiration from a rowdy annual fiesta held in the Bolivar Province and is made with vodka, hops, figs, white truffle, turmeric, and a local moonshine called pájaro azul.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 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
Definition of moonshine

Browse Nearby Words

booting (up)
bootleg
bootlegged
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Cite this Entry

“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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