as in trade
a system through which things are bought and sold illegally
The black market in prescription drugs is thriving. They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.
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as in to smuggle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of black market
Francisco J. Monaldi, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
The 18th Amendment had implemented a nationwide ban on the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol, which in turn had fueled a black market for booze and a rise in organized crime.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
On Facebook and Telegram, black-market vendors offer three key services that make student aid fraud accessible to virtually anyone.
—Dr. David Maimon, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for black market
Noun
Most of that oil goes to the black market, and a majority ends up with independent refiners in China.
—Francisco J. Monaldi, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
The 18th Amendment had implemented a nationwide ban on the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol, which in turn had fueled a black market for booze and a rise in organized crime.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Verb
Authorities are always finding booming black-market marijuana operations that grow the plant indoors or underground.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
On Facebook and Telegram, black-market vendors offer three key services that make student aid fraud accessible to virtually anyone.
—Dr. David Maimon, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for black market
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black market
Noun
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The trade association outlined its concerns over consolidation in a statement to a House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, which is holding a hearing on Wednesday on competition in digital streaming.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Sabres run into some significant issues down the lineup — upgrading the fourth line should be among Kekäläinen’s most pressing priorities between now and the trade deadline — but young centre Noah Ostlund has helped give Buffalo’s usually problematic fourth line some connective heft and floor.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The court records make no mention of DHS’ claim that Santillana had recently paid to have her teenage children smuggled across the border.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Some of that is possibly smuggled in illegally.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But the size of the gray market may be fundamentally at odds with its viability.—
Sarah Zhang,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2025
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While marketing software through Telegram isn’t inherently nefarious, researchers say that Haotian’s customer base has increasingly skewed toward scammers who already seek out information about an array of gray market services on the messaging app.—
Matt Burgess,
Wired News,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Without data centers, flights would be grounded (pilots could not get weather info and flight plans would not be available), communication would become rudimentary, payments would stop processing (welcome back, bartering) — even 911, which goes through an online system, would shut down.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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For weeks leading up to the election, judges barter for their votes with candidates and make deals for which court system, division and courthouse they will be assigned to, and power players jockey for the supervisory placements, or presiding judge positions, by promising a bloc of loyal votes.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Being unable to make the payment, the company’s data was lost, and the 158-year-old business went under.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The fact we’re getting bootlegged and people are grabbing our voices and using ’em, rap needs to be taken as serious as any other genre!—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
11 July 2025
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In 1920s Anaheim, the big local issue was bootlegging and Catholics, who were seen as foreigners in what was supposed to be an Anglo-Saxon Protestant country.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The credits are available to people who bought health care policies in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Unrest at the Tehran bazaar is particularly unsettling for officials because the shuttering of shops at the ancient marketplace and protests from the merchant class were key elements that led to the overthrow of the monarchy in 1979.—
Henry Austin,
NBC news,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The families exchanged Christmas cookies as a parting gift.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
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Since this is an Outlet item, it can’t be returned or exchanged—but is bound to sell out fast.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Black market.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black%20market. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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