as in alcohol
illegally produced liquor
college students secretly mixing up a batch of white lightning in the school lab
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Recent Examples of white lightning
First, the white lightning… Bill Whitaker: Wow, that gives a punch.
—
Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Don’t let the green mist tinged with white lightning and rotating cosmic orifices fool you, however: Ingesting psychedelic drugs is not recommended before watching this film.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
Above the patch is another white lightning bolt.
—Omari Sankofa Ii, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2021
One, the stereotype is as dated as Moon Pies and white lightning.
—Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 11 June 2020
Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Don’t let the green mist tinged with white lightning and rotating cosmic orifices fool you, however: Ingesting psychedelic drugs is not recommended before watching this film.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
Above the patch is another white lightning bolt.
—Omari Sankofa Ii, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2021
One, the stereotype is as dated as Moon Pies and white lightning.
—Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 11 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for white lightning
Noun
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Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash, police said.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Chloe entered rehab in September 2012 After years of struggling with an eating disorder and drug and alcohol addiction, Chloe went to rehab in September 2012.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The onsite eatery’s delectable dumpling soup and terrific teriyaki salmon more than make up for the spirited sin of their signature cocktail being made the wrong booze.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
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Since Irene’s death, Antoine, miserable and pickled in booze, has rattled around in their Paris villa nestled in a leafy garden, with an art studio gathering dust.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Noun
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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
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The piece wouldn't be officially released online for some time, but a stray audience member or two recorded a bootleg of the screen inside the theater and posted it to social media.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“White lightning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/white%20lightning. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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