as in alcohol
illegally produced liquor
getting caught with bootleg during Prohibition could have resulted in a jail sentence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in unauthorized
made or sold illegally
During the Prohibition era, many people made their own bootleg whiskey. He was arrested for selling bootleg copies of the album.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in to smuggle
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bootleg
Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
The Chargers did not incorporate enough play-action bootleg into their offense over the last two years.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Al Shipley, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
The quarterback can bootleg in and out of the perimeter of cameras, as the testing aims to simulate as many football movements as possible.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Noun
While bootlegs have been out there for decades, the Petty estate is finally making the concert officially available, with audio restoration done by Ryan Ulyate.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
The Chargers did not incorporate enough play-action bootleg into their offense over the last two years.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
Living in Woodstock, New York, Dylan spent a lot of time in nearby Saugerties at the Band’s famous Big Pink house, recording dozens of songs that were heavily bootlegged and sometimes sent to other artists to record.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
The quarterback can bootleg in and out of the perimeter of cameras, as the testing aims to simulate as many football movements as possible.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bootleg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootleg
Noun
-
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
Adjective
-
Recovering from identity theft requires securing your credit, documenting the fraud, and disputing unauthorized accounts.—
Miranda Marquit,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 May 2026
-
Since 1868, birthright citizenship has made anyone born in the United States a citizen – whether the child of citizens, foreign nationals living legally in the United States, or unauthorized immigrants.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Brazilian gold mined illegally inside Indigenous territory has reportedly been smuggled into Venezuela and exported internationally because buyers there ask fewer questions about its origins.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
-
In 2024, a man was sentenced to 31 years in a London prison for a scheme that used printer toner cartridges to smuggle drugs for multiple crime organizations.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
Athleisure brands on the floor include Vuori, Tala, Literary Sport, Adidas and New Balance, which have all been merchandised with a fashion buyer’s eye.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
-
It’s all curated by owner Sylvie Chateigner, who has methodically merchandised the store by color.—
Clara Giampellegrini,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The tabletop lid comes with four drink holders, and the latch and lock closure keeps the contents secure.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
-
Even one drink of alcohol damages the immune system, lowering its ability to battle invaders within 20 minutes of consumption.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Denver International Airport is the biggest airport by land mass in the country, and there are miles of fencing to patrol.—
Sarah Horbacewicz,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
Part of the site was fenced off and pink flags typically used as survey markings were planted in the grass.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Today, Jones and his wife, Peg Hays, use this original still pot design to make award-winning, small-batch mash bill bourbons, moonshines, and more.—
Michelle Polizzi,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
-
The nettle moonshine might also be behind Huldah’s new backbone.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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