black-market

1 of 2

verb

black-mar·​ket ˈblak-ˈmär-kət 

black-marketed; black-marketing; black-markets

intransitive verb

: to buy or sell goods in the black market

transitive verb

: to sell in the black market

black marketer noun

or black marketeer

ˈblak-ˌmär-kə-ˈtir 

black marketeering

ˈblak-ˌmär-kə-ˈtir-iŋ 

noun

black market

2 of 2

noun

: illicit trade in goods or commodities in violation of official regulations

also : a place where such trade is carried on

Examples of black-market in a Sentence

Noun

The black market in prescription drugs is thriving.

They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The ongoing investigation, led by Reisig, is sprawling, involving dozens of search warrants and arrests in Los Angeles County and Crescent City aimed at piercing the black-market world of fireworks that fueled the blast. —Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026

Superfakes is about a small-time Chinatown luxury counterfeit dealer who enters a dangerous black-market underworld in order to fund a life of suburban respectability for her family. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026

Noun

On the black market, the medication was being sold for more than what Estrada makes in a month. —Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026

Everyone thought of it as a get-rich scheme – the people from Silicon Valley, the people from the black market trying to go legit, but also the government. —Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1727, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1931, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for black-market

• nonmarket
• premarket
• upmarket
• aftermarket
• patriarchate
• supermarket
• market

Kids Definition

black market

noun

: trade that is against government controls (as of prices or rationing)

also : the place where such trade is carried on

black marketer

-ˈmär-kət-ər

noun

or black marketeer

-ˌmär-kə-ˈti(ə)r