Definition of black-market
: to buy or sell goods in the black market
: to sell in the black market
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First Known Use of black-market
1727
black market
Definition of black market
: 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
The black market in prescription drugs is thriving.
They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.
Recent Examples of black market from the Web
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Some are abused by the people who have prescriptions; others are stolen and sold on the black market.
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Asian arowana fish first became prized on the black market after they were largely banned from international trade in 1975, which doesn’t account for the dosh required to provide the space and maintenance of a gigantic fish.
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But a rogue Kaiju emerges from the sea, and Jake, a former Ranger pilot who flamed out and now spends his time partying and bartering on the black market, is pressed to re-enlist as a get-out-of-jail-free card.
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Communities in some countries believe albinism can bring magical powers, wealth and good fortune — a superstition that has led to attackers kidnapping and murdering albinos to sell their body parts to witch doctors on the black market.
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Without these restrictions, there’s no black market, and federal dollars aren’t being directed towards helping the NCAA regulate its schools.
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North Korea developed a sophisticated procurement network that purchased needed technology and equipment, either through front companies or on the black market.
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Acquiring a legal gun requires strict screening, but Kalashnikovs from the Yugoslav wars are readily available on the black market.
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For a price, less-scrupulous store owners might look the other way if a customer didn’t have a coupon, and enterprising brokers bought and sold coupons on the black market.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'black market.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of black market
1931
Financial Definition of BLACK-MARKET
black market
What It Is
A black market is the illegal purchase and sale of goods and services.
How It Works
Drug dealing is one of the most prominent black markets in the United States. In this black market, people buy and sell drugs knowing that such activity is usually illegal and that possessing the products themselves is usually illegal. Regardless, the demand for drugs is high enough to trump the law, though people usually attempt to conceal their participation.
Many black markets exist beyond drugs, however, and though the products or services may be legal, the manner in which they are bought and sold may be illegal. For example, it is legal to have a cleaning lady, but it is illegal to hire a cleaning lady who is not in the United States legally.
Because regulatory constraints may increase the price of some goods and services, in some cases regulation can actually prompt the development of black markets. This was particularly the case in the early 1900s, when the United States outlawed alcohol, which created a massive black market for the production, transportation and sale of liquor.
Why It Matters
The presence of black markets all over the world is evidence that the laws of supply and demand are virtually impossible to defy. When regulation or taxation becomes too high, when supply and demand are way out of balance, or when competition has been too restricted, people will always look for a way to get goods or services cheaper, faster or more easily.
Source: Investing Answers
BLACK-MARKET Defined for English Language Learners
black market
Definition of black market for English Language Learners
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: a system through which things are bought and sold illegally
Seen and Heard
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