white lightning

noun

Definition of white lightningnext
as in alcohol
illegally produced liquor college students secretly mixing up a batch of white lightning in the school lab

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of white lightning 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
  1. alcohol
  2. booze
  3. 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.
    — Adam Hoffer, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • In fact, the organizers have expressly banned alcohol and drugs from the event – and the attendees wouldn’t have it any other way.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Definition of alcohol
Noun
  • 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.
    — Sarah Todd, STAT, 1 July 2026
  • No wonder Don Draper drank booze all the time.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of booze
Noun
  • Not long after the revolution, bootleg audio and videotapes began circulating in Tehran.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 29 June 2026
  • The star even walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week that year, wearing a T-shirt printed with his own face — a nod to bootleg shirts sold all over the world — underneath a thick fur coat.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 28 June 2026
Definition of bootleg

Browse Nearby Words

white knights
white lightning
white lightnings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“White lightning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/white%20lightning. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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