black market 1 of 2

noun

Definition of black marketnext
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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black-market

2 of 2

verb

as in to smuggle

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of black market
Noun
Archaeological treasures have been sold on the black market to power a war machine that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced some 14 million people. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Some 10 billion liters of black market fuel were seized at that time in Tamaulipas. — CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
An investigation by the National Post reported a price drop of 70 percent or more for black-market pills in cities that had instituted safer supply. — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Together, those accounts represent nearly $220 million in potential black-market sales, with threat actors increasing both the number of accounts offered and their asking prices as demand for matches grows. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for black market
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black market
  1. trade
  2. smuggle
  3. gray market
  4. barter
  5. business
  6. bootleg
  7. marketplace
  8. exchange
Noun
  • Rival Kalshi in April became the first exchange to complete a block trade, which are large transactions negotiated privately to avoid price volatility that are typical on Wall Street.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The United States and China released Monday reciprocal lists of products worth about $30 billion each that will see tariff cuts, in a deal expected to boost bilateral trade.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of trade
Verb
  • Massive stockpiles of methamphetamine smuggled onto the islands by cartels have spurred a widespread addiction crisis, seen as a key driver of an HIV epidemic that Fiji recently declared a national emergency.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Supplies are also strained because medicines are smuggled to neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, where prices are higher, state media reported.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of smuggle
Noun
  • Suppliers on the gray market can include compounding pharmacies, med spas, and telehealth companies.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Biden administration’s absolute restriction on peptides resulted in Americans turning to the gray market without being properly educated.
    — Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of gray market
Verb
  • In the second-season finale, some time after Aemond had killed Rhaenyra’s son Luke, Alicent arrives in secret to Dragonstone to barter Aegon’s life in exchange for peace, and safety in particular for her daughter (and Aegon’s wife) Helaena.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Through three tedious roll calls, Roosevelt forces bartered with delegations and finally put their man over the top on the fourth try when House Speaker John Nance Garner folded his candidacy in exchange for the vice presidential nomination.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Definition of barter
Noun
  • Vanderbilt is building a graduate campus in West Palm Beach focused on business, AI, and data science, with $50 million from developer Stephen Ross leading the fundraising.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Much of those losses were uninsured, leaving the losses to be absorbed by governments, businesses, or households.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of business
Verb
  • After the songs were bootlegged for years, Coe began selling them on his website in 2000, though without his name on them.
    — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
  • With Dallas leading 27-21 and San Francisco driving late in the fourth quarter, Joe Montana and the 49ers lined up in a split formation, with Montana bootlegging out to the right upon taking the snap.
    — R.J. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 25 Jan. 2026
Definition of bootleg
Noun
  • Ticketmaster, which was included in the partnerships already announced, directs users to its own marketplace for payment.
    — Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Nike told Vogue Business that Hill, who became CEO in 2024, has cleaned up unhealthy inventory, reset the marketplace, and created more space for a new series of Nike performance products and innovation.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of marketplace
Verb
  • During the journey, Choi exchanged text messages with her mother-in-law.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The gunman vanished into a home while exchanging shots with deputies, and he was later found in one of the bedrooms, officials said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of exchange

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Black market.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black%20market. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on black market

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