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
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
22 June 2026
How that is playing out in terms of stylistic difference will have to be weighed by bootleg-favoring Dylanologists who are more attuned to the subtleties of band interplay.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
21 June 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
For most New Yorkers looking to savor the Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years, a commemorative T-shirt—perhaps purchased bootleg outside Madison Square Garden—will have to do.
—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
22 June 2026
How that is playing out in terms of stylistic difference will have to be weighed by bootleg-favoring Dylanologists who are more attuned to the subtleties of band interplay.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
21 June 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
-
Public health data has taught us that alcohol, which can be fine when consumed in moderation, can be harmful to individual and societal health in excessive amounts.
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In fact, the organizers have expressly banned alcohol and drugs from the event – and the attendees wouldn’t have it any other way.
Adjective
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Victims of the Lemonade breach said their information was used to apply for loans, access retirement accounts and make unauthorized credit card charges.
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Those ascents have largely been unauthorized, but actor and musician Jared Leto was allowed to climb up to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor in 2023 to promote a tour.
Verb
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Probation officers and staff members have been charged with smuggling drugs into the facility in the last year.
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In the film, which was based on a Pulitzer Prize nominated memoir, Betty escapes the clutches of her barbaric Iranian husband (played by Alfred Molina) and courageously smuggles herself and her daughter out of Iran.
Noun
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How the alcohol industry puts policy on ice Each year, the American Cancer Society raises hundreds of thousands from the wine and spirits industry through an annual fundraising gala featuring free-flowing booze like pineapple margaritas.
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No wonder Don Draper drank booze all the time.
Verb
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Lindsay also discusses the brand’s expansion of IP, including Pablo Sanchez, from video games to merchandise and streaming programming.
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But mutual contempt was perhaps an even less promising foundation to build a country on than merchandising.
Noun
-
Sugary drinks, greasy grill residue, dropped crumbs and overflowing trash are all fair game.
-
The tiki drinks, delivered both poolside and beachside, were fruity and strong but well balanced.
Verb
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Later this month, the Miami City Commission will consider a proposal to launch a one-year pilot program to allow advertisements on fencing at construction sites within the urban core that have active building permits.
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The biggest mistake brands will make in the coming wave is trying to fence that skill and expertise in rather than strategically embrace it.
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.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Bootleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootleg. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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