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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That reduced alcohol spending is not due to price changes, but because consumption is falling, the report said.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The blow keeps you awake and the alcohol lowers your inhibitions.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Nowadays, Luxco counts several different types of booze brands among its assets, including Rebel, Ezra Brooks, and Blood Oath bourbons; Limestone Branch Distillery and its Yellowstone Bourbon; and Mexico’s Destiladora Gonzalez Lux.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Irish symbols, booze and leprechauns were glorified.—
Bella Monaco,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Luhrmann spent two years hunting the audio tapes — even buying bootleg recordings — and syncing them with the film footage.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“White lightning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/white%20lightning. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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