as in alcohols
illegally produced liquor
getting caught with bootleg during Prohibition could have resulted in a jail sentence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of bootlegs
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
His strengths as a rhythm passer and his ability to operate on bootlegs align cleanly with that system.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
While bootlegs have been out there for decades, the Petty estate is finally making the concert officially available, with audio restoration done by Ryan Ulyate.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
But for a few months in 1975, all four members worked in unison to create a masterpiece and perform concerts that became legendary, thanks to bootlegs like the one here.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2025
Mariota looked more comfortable than either Patrick Mahomes or Dak Prescott ever looked against VJ's defense, thanks to either getting the ball out super quick -- screens, bootlegs — or by just taking off with the rock and taking his chances.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
In the six years since its debut, the show has become an internet sensation, with viewers online embracing the musical's campy humor, jaw-dropping stage illusions and sing-along score, with bootlegs of the production going viral on TikTok and YouTube.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
And that means passing up scramble lanes on bootlegs and dirting the ball in the face of free rushers.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Now, people who don’t have a technical understanding, there might be bootlegs, but that is scratchy stuff with not very good sound.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
The album’s official versions smooth out some of the buzzy sibilance of the bootlegs, but Hold Onto Me Infinity accommodates lots of tasteful clangs and wubs.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
His strengths as a rhythm passer and his ability to operate on bootlegs align cleanly with that system.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
While bootlegs have been out there for decades, the Petty estate is finally making the concert officially available, with audio restoration done by Ryan Ulyate.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
But for a few months in 1975, all four members worked in unison to create a masterpiece and perform concerts that became legendary, thanks to bootlegs like the one here.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2025
Mariota looked more comfortable than either Patrick Mahomes or Dak Prescott ever looked against VJ's defense, thanks to either getting the ball out super quick -- screens, bootlegs — or by just taking off with the rock and taking his chances.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
In the six years since its debut, the show has become an internet sensation, with viewers online embracing the musical's campy humor, jaw-dropping stage illusions and sing-along score, with bootlegs of the production going viral on TikTok and YouTube.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
And that means passing up scramble lanes on bootlegs and dirting the ball in the face of free rushers.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Now, people who don’t have a technical understanding, there might be bootlegs, but that is scratchy stuff with not very good sound.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootlegs
Noun
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Heavy stylers with alcohols can dry out the hair and scalp, causing product buildup that leads to dandruff-like flakes.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
18 June 2026
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Some common culprits include harsh sulfates, which can strip natural oils; high concentrations of drying alcohols; overly aggressive exfoliating acids; and fragrance, especially for sensitive or reactive skin types.—
Kieaundria Bellamy,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Verb
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To address the challenge, the team designed a swap gate based purely on geometric phases, that exchanges the quantum state of two qubits.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
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Dorian Gray, the Victorian era’s proto-Clavicular, literally exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty—a move that the looksmaxxing community would seem to endorse wholeheartedly.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
Verb
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The union usually bargains in the same year as performers’ union SAG-AFTRA and directors’ union the Directors Guild of America.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Apr. 2026
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One potential—though untested—workaround would be for conferences, which are private entities, to serve as a joint employer that bargains with a players’ union.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Miguel said many customers are opting to grab their drinks and go rather than linger outside as smoke drifts through the neighborhood.—
Kayla Bartkowski,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
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Food and drinks will be available for purchase.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Produced by Mabel Cheung, Good Trip is the story of a young woman who smuggles her terminally ill father out of a hospital to address his unfulfilled wishes.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
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Angela, grieving for her family and friends gone in the war, smuggles goods along the front lines to make a living.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Not to be outdone by last year’s muskmelons, Farm & Forage Market is selling Concord- and white-grape juices shipped from Nagano, Japan.—
Stephanie Krikorian,
Curbed,
22 June 2026
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Transfer the berries and all the juices to a large saucepan.—
Monti Carlo,
AJC.com,
22 June 2026
Verb
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Critics will claim that trading Canadian or Danish oversight for an American protectorate merely swaps one master for another.—
Barry Scott Zellen,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
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That’s the idea behind scentscaping — a growing approach to home fragrance that swaps synthetic plug-ins and aerosol sprays for natural, intentional scent.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bootlegs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootlegs. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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