gray market

noun

: a market employing irregular but not illegal methods
especially : a market that legally circumvents authorized channels of distribution to sell goods at prices lower than those intended by the manufacturer

Examples of gray market in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Additionally, appropriate pricing strategies can assist in mitigating some of the challenges associated with the gray market. Bhavesh Gupta, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Mercenary spyware firms employ highly skilled engineers to either develop in-house or purchase software vulnerabilities from gray market firms, known as exploits or zero days, of which manufacturers of consumer devices and applications are not yet aware. Ronald J. Deibert, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2025 These are professional shoplifters backed by criminal organizations that plan large-scale thefts and fence the products on the gray market, often selling across state lines or through the internet. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 2 Apr. 2025 Resellers operating in the gray market have reportedly been using entities registered outside of China to acquire Nvidia’s newest chips, including the Blackwell GPUs—which are prohibited from being sold to Chinese customers—via companies based in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gray market

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gray market was in 1934

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gray market.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray%20market. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

Legal Definition

gray market

noun
: a market employing irregular but not illegal methods
especially : a market that legally circumvents authorized channels of distribution to sell goods at prices lower than those intended by the manufacturer

More from Merriam-Webster on gray market

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!