human trafficking

noun

: organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited (as by being forced into sex work or involuntary labor)

Examples of human trafficking 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.
Blood & Roses Volume 1 by Callie Hart Blood & Roses Volume 1 by USA TODAY best-selling author Callie Hart is a contemporary dark romance that dives into Seattle's most dangerous, feared men and the seedy world of human trafficking. Jessica Moore, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 Boston is not unique among FIFA host cities in planning for a potential human trafficking surge during this summer’s international soccer tournament. Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026 The union accused the company of human trafficking via social media; charging workers to live in squalid conditions; threatening and intimidating workers and their families; operating with dangerously high production line speeds; and withholding mail from workers. Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026 In 2024, Argentine prosecutors concluded there were grounds for launching a criminal investigation into top South American Opus officials into charges of human trafficking and labor exploitation against 44 women who said they had been recruited to perform domestic tasks in their homes. ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for human trafficking

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of human trafficking was in 1904

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Human trafficking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/human%20trafficking. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

human trafficking

noun
: organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited (as by being forced into prostitution or involuntary labor)

Legal Definition

human trafficking

noun
: the business of inducing a person to perform labor or engage in prostitution through force, fraud, or coercion see also labor trafficking, sex trafficking
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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