café

noun

ka-ˈfā How to pronounce café (audio)
variants also cafe
Definition of cafénext
1
as in cabaret
a bar or restaurant offering special nighttime entertainment (as music, dancing, or comedy acts) the café presents nationally known jazz performers in an intimate setting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in tavern
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises a speakeasy that became a fashionable café with the repeal of prohibition

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in restaurant
a public establishment where meals are served to paying customers for consumption on the premises they met at a little café in Paris

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 café The Rush Funplex The Rush Funplex is an indoor entertainment chain with go-karts, bowling, mini-golf, arcade games, bumper cars, rock-climbing wall with a foam pit, laser tag, kiddie cars, private party rooms and a cafe. — Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Galliano, who rose to fame on the strength of his theatrical, feminine designs, suffered a precipitous fall from grace in 2011 after he was caught on camera making drunken antisemitic and anti-Asian remarks to a couple in a Paris cafe. — News Desk, Artforum, 31 Aug. 2026 It was immediately met with disapproval, with many people calling out the time the designer hurled a string of antisemitic and racist insults outside of a cafe in Paris, for which he was fined $8,500 in 2011. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 31 Aug. 2026 Beachyville is a shopping mall that debuted this year in the backyard common space behind Beachy's and Beachy's Bake and Brew cafe downtown Caseville. — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for café
Recent Examples of Synonyms for café
  1. cabaret
  2. tavern
  3. restaurant
  4. nightclub
  5. saloon
  6. diner
  7. club
  8. pub
Noun
  • While all of the women found their respective moment to shine, no one rose to the occasion quite like Luann de Lesseps, who seemingly decided on her own that Kyle’s white party would be the perfect backdrop for a cabaret performance like none other.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Tucked at the back of one barber shop is Screaming Alley, a cabaret production company supporting independent artists.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of cabaret
Noun
  • Some chefs argue there’s a time and place for it, as in more casual settings like breakfast joints or taverns.
    — Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Known for his connections to Richard’s Bar, the old-school tavern where the city’s smoking ordinances never seem to be enforced, Dominic has reputed Outfit ties that go back many years.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of tavern
Noun
  • In the book, Abigail meets Bret at La Scala, a great Beverly Hills restaurant that still exists.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Nikko was named second-best Japanese restaurant in the city by Charlotte Observer readers and earned bronze for Best Sushi in the 2025 Charlotte’s Best poll.
    — Kimberly Tutuska, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of restaurant
Noun
  • Broadway-loving teens will fall madly in love with this 2001 musical classic about the infamous French nightclub, its star performer Satine, and her poem-writing love Christian—Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in two of their best roles.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
  • That means his restaurant and nightclub venues will continue to work within the budgets of the major American players, while still offering a superior product to ensure repeat business.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nightclub
Noun
  • Kimberly Schlarman, local history supervisor for the Glenview Public Library and a member of the Glenview History Center Board of Directors, said the Glen View House was a saloon by the 1890s, with lodgings on the second floor.
    — Jennifer Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In an interview with the Idaho Statesman regarding the sale, Fitzpatrick alluded to forces beyond his control forcing his hand in listing the saloon.
    — Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of saloon
Noun
  • All-day diner Fenix trades typical coffee shop fare for an interactive robatayaki grill, sushi bar, and tandoor oven.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Pollo Asado is back at Chipotle and diners will also soon have a new side item to try the protein with.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of diner
Noun
  • However, the action may not end at 11pm — deal sheets allow clubs to conclude signings two hours after the transfer window closes, provided the correct paperwork is submitted before the deadline.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of club
Noun
  • With a rich history dating back to 1858, the pier has recently undergone a serious renovation and now features two on-site pubs, food stalls, various rides and one of the country’s few surviving pier theatres.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That annual challenge was conceived after an argument in a pub over whether a man or a horse would win such a face-off over the unforgiving Welsh terrain.
    — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pub

Browse Nearby Words

caesuras
café
cafés
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Cite this Entry

“Café.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caf%C3%A9. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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