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café

noun

ka-ˈfā How to pronounce café (audio)
variants also cafe
Definition of cafénext
1
as in cabaret
a bar or restaurant offering special nighttime entertainment (as music, dancing, or comedy acts) the café presents nationally known jazz performers in an intimate setting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in tavern
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises a speakeasy that became a fashionable café with the repeal of prohibition

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in restaurant
a public establishment where meals are served to paying customers for consumption on the premises they met at a little café in Paris

Synonyms & Similar 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 café An eclectic mix of art adds personality, while cafe curtains softly filter sunlight through tall windows overlooking Johnson Square to the north and Bull Street to the west. — Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2026 The three-building campus will also have a fitness center, a cafe and an outdoor work space. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 This week’s literary geography quiz is a tour of the cafes, clubs and other establishments around New York City that attracted poets and authors. — J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 According to police, the owner of the cafe told officers that an employee found the man stuck in the vent of the kitchen area. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for café
Recent Examples of Synonyms for café
  1. cabaret
  2. tavern
  3. restaurant
  4. nightclub
  5. saloon
  6. diner
  7. club
  8. pub
Noun
  • The inaugural event brings together ballroom, film, drag, cabaret, wellness activities, panel discussions, visual and performing arts and nightlife under one umbrella.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Upstairs in the Maison Michel workshop, which caters to clients ranging from fashion houses to the Lido cabaret and film productions, the hats are literally baked in a large oven.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cabaret
Noun
  • To pay for his room and board, Field made the paintings, paying off his debt to Anna Brigham Dimock, who owned and operated the tavern, and Roderick Dimock, who ran the farm.
    — Kimberly Phillips, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The weeklong promotion highlights a wide range of cuisines, from steakhouses and seafood restaurants to taverns, bistros and international dining destinations.
    — Jane Imbody, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of tavern
Noun
  • At restaurants, plates grow cold while lighting is adjusted and angles are tested.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Nine additional Chick-fil-A restaurant locations will be opening throughout western Pennsylvania by 2028.
    — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of restaurant
Noun
  • The last of Lila and Amisha’s henchmen has fled with the remaining supply of poison aerosol, intending to detonate it, on Amisha’s orders, at a nightclub.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Young used the proceeds to take luxury trips to Tahiti, and used funds to open a nightclub in Inglewood called the Six Seven Five Lounge and other commercial real estate projects, prosecutors allege.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of nightclub
Noun
  • The stunning saloon offers up a number of bespoke details inspired by its pint-sized namesake, some of which were made from abalone shells.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Rather, the venues represent his affection for saloons and the people in them.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of saloon
Noun
  • Although the menu will have similar influences to the flagship restaurant’s, mall diners will find a heavier focus on sandwiches and fresh juices, Mashal said.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In Des Moines, diners can find the steak de Burgo at just about every steakhouse or classic Italian restaurant, each serving its own version.
    — Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of diner
Noun
  • Weather, home prices, green fees, and access to public courses or private clubs are also considerations.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Boone acknowledged that his club will probably have to sweep the Rays for a crack at a division title.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of club
Noun
  • Several local businesses have joined Gross’ rallying cry, including Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar, the staple Irish pub located just around the corner from AMC Kips Bay.
    — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The Mahony Group runs three pubs and five backpacker hostels around Australia, from Melbourne in the state of Victoria to Cairns in the far north.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of pub

Browse Nearby Words

caesuras
café
cafés
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Cite this Entry

“Café.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caf%C3%A9. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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