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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Noel was arrested and charged with hit-and-run with property damage, driving while impaired, driving with no liability insurance, and driving with an open container of alcohol, officials said.—
Mark Price
April 1,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants before bed.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That said, many frequent fliers have found ways to give their beverage a boost and even score free booze in economy seats.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Apr. 2026
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Keep the booze flowing at White Stadium during professional women’s soccer matches, the Boston City Council said when rejecting a measure that sought to uphold state law restricting alcohol at public school facilities.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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 6 Apr. 2026.
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