as in bootleg
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Recent Examples of rotgut
As alcohol bans lingered, poorer quality substitutes increasingly overwhelmed the black market: bathtub gin, pure grain alcohol and other rotguts.
—
David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 23 July 2023
But mingling with Robert Mitchum and Lana Turner, cocktail in hand, makes even a rotgut movie a top-shelf experience.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2023
Born in 1912 to a Kashmiri family in the northern state of Punjab, Manto fell under the spell of Gorky and Poe, not to mention the rotgut that would kill him at the age of forty-two.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2022
During that time, rotgut liquor wasn’t ideal for drinking straight, which made speakeasies get creative, birthing some delicious cocktails that endure to this day.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Nov. 2021
Moonshine that falls into the rotgut category could be dangerous and even deadly for anyone desperate enough to drink it.
—Alan Ashe, CNN, 7 June 2018
David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 23 July 2023
But mingling with Robert Mitchum and Lana Turner, cocktail in hand, makes even a rotgut movie a top-shelf experience.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2023
Born in 1912 to a Kashmiri family in the northern state of Punjab, Manto fell under the spell of Gorky and Poe, not to mention the rotgut that would kill him at the age of forty-two.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2022
During that time, rotgut liquor wasn’t ideal for drinking straight, which made speakeasies get creative, birthing some delicious cocktails that endure to this day.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Nov. 2021
Moonshine that falls into the rotgut category could be dangerous and even deadly for anyone desperate enough to drink it.
—Alan Ashe, CNN, 7 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotgut
Noun
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The look was created from tattered bootleg championship shirts in blue, white and orange, which were sourced from vendors in NYC this week.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
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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
Noun
-
And cops found 61 empty and partially empty booze bottles and cans on his boat when it was salvaged from the water the next day.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
-
Those who prefer a more low-key atmosphere or to skip the booze should try Miles’ neighborhood walking tours, which have spanned sections of Inglewood, View Park-Windsor Hills and Compton.—
Danielle Dorsey,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Noun
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In the years after Buffy, Brendon, who did not have any kids, spoke out about struggling with depression as well as alcohol and substance addictions, checking into rehab between multiple arrests, including for domestic violence charges and prescription fraud.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
-
Smilianska was never asked to take a test for drugs or alcohol.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The latter is inspired by Prohibition-era nightlife, with notes of rum, tobacco, and smooth, velvety orris.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
-
This cocktail is made with rum, jasmine cardamom syrup, lime, and soda water.—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
With his dad at Blue Bell Park after taking a red-eye flight from Los Angeles, Andrew delivered a 421-foot blast that his dad and the USC Trojans won’t soon forget.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
-
For sunshine, beautiful gardens, and sandy beaches—without a red-eye flight to Europe—book a trip to Coral Gables, Florida.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Noun
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To try some of that moonshine yourself, stop by Adventure Distilling Company for tastings and live music in the summertime.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
-
Yes, this $1.1 million purchase from the Keeneland yearling sale in September of 2023 looked better than a fresh bottle of moonshine in the Aristides, but his hall of fame conditioner will leave the Breeders’ Cup speculation to others for now.—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
But some of those who weathered economic storms stuck around to learn, tweak, and tinker their way to good hooch.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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But the end of colonial rule galvanized a new frontier spirit around booze, with Americans shunning the sherry, port, and brandy favored by the stiff Europeans, and instead leaning into their own hooch created by a mash of whatever grains were on hand.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Bartenders and home mixers leaned on citrus, sugar, and other ingredients to mask the watered-down, bootlegged booze and harsh flavors found in homemade alternatives (like your bathtub gin).—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Burnett leaned into the character’s drinking habit, hiccupping through Miss Hannigan’s swigs from a bottle of bathtub gin.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rotgut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotgut. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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