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 In its recent news release, CenterCal confirmed Paris Baguette would bring a bakery-cafe to the shopping center. — Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 21 July 2026 What to read next Bjukitchen is a chic little cafe that’s a perfect stop on a busy day. — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 21 July 2026 The city's compact historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is perfect for a slow afternoon of exploration, and an ideal spot to pop into a cafe for a wine at the end of the day. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026 Buzzy Sunset Strip cafe, located on the busy Sunset strip, closes indefinitely due to the water main break. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 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
  • Stir up your own romance at the adults-only hideaway’s suites with swim-up pools, a cabaret show or an intimate beachfront dinner.
    — Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The play reimagines the former First Lady as a hard-drinking woman yearning to become a cabaret star.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 16 July 2026
Definition of cabaret
Noun
  • It was built after the Chicago fire and had once been the site of a popular tavern, aka supper place.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
  • Anecdotal evidence indicates the World Cup has been a boon for Arlington’s hospitality industry, with some restaurateurs and tavern owners saying revenue has exceeded their expectations.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026
Definition of tavern
Noun
  • This department oversees and regulates restaurants across Sacramento County, conducting food inspections and issuing food permits.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
  • Food and drink One of the perks of staying at The Francis is easy access to its on-site gem of a restaurant and creative cocktail bar, The Wayside Tavern.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 July 2026
Definition of restaurant
Noun
  • The seminal former record label, based in Manchester, launched the likes of band Joy Division and ran the famous Haçienda nightclub, on the site of which stand apartments today.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Why the Excelsior Club mattered in Charlotte Founded in 1944 by Jimmie and Minnie McKee, the Excelsior Club was Charlotte’s first nightclub exclusively for the Black community.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026
Definition of nightclub
Noun
  • Chinese mega-corps BYD is making huge inroads in European markets with its technically accomplished saloons and SUVs.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 13 July 2026
  • By 1884, a map of the Central Business District shows hotels, saloons, dry goods shops, cigar manufacturers, and stores selling everything from shoes, to jewelry and even a winemaker.
    — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026
Definition of saloon
Noun
  • Three people were hurt when the ceiling collapsed on diners during the supper rush at a North Carolina steakhouse, according to investigators.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 21 July 2026
  • In the burgundy booth of a diner, John Lozier leaned in, lowered his voice and asked his friend a question he's carried for nearly two weeks.
    — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 21 July 2026
Definition of diner
Noun
  • But years later, some of the highest-flying professional clubs have folded due to financial mismanagement, and dozens of soccer officials have been banned or imprisoned, and numerous teams ensnared in an anti-graft campaign.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • Kane moved from boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in 2023 and has become one of the most successful strikers in the history of the club.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of club
Noun
  • These bands book their own gigs in pubs, warehouses, and anywhere that will have them.
    — Charles Moss, SPIN, 23 July 2026
  • The staff report recommended regulating these businesses as separate categories — bars and nightclubs; restaurants and brew pubs; and wineries, distilleries and breweries — a change that could allow more alcohol-serving businesses overall.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 23 July 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 24 Jul. 2026.

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