as in prohibited
not legally permissible to possess, import, or export
The customs agents searched the shipping containers for contraband items.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 contraband
Cofield stole those millions of dollars with the help of contraband cellphones, which were continually found in his prison cells over the years, including one hidden in the rolls of his stomach.
—
Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
Bikini bottoms would be full coverage only; thongs were added to a list of contraband items that included alcohol and nonprescription drugs, which were confiscated from Islanders’ suitcases on arrival.
—Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
He was arrested in 2023 for allegedly being involved in a contraband scheme.
—Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 14 May 2026
At the suspect’s residence, investigators found enough contraband Lego pieces to fill two garbage bags.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraband
Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
Bikini bottoms would be full coverage only; thongs were added to a list of contraband items that included alcohol and nonprescription drugs, which were confiscated from Islanders’ suitcases on arrival.
—Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
He was arrested in 2023 for allegedly being involved in a contraband scheme.
—Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 14 May 2026
At the suspect’s residence, investigators found enough contraband Lego pieces to fill two garbage bags.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraband
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraband
Adjective
-
There is, however, room for questions about where the line between prohibited and acceptable political involvement will fall in practice.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
-
The list of prohibited and restricted items, as found on the CBP website, includes alcohol, biological materials, firearms, food and produce such as fruits and vegetables, soil, wildlife, fish, and gold, among other items.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
More than 60 local, county and state law enforcement agencies in places where the games will be held recently completed a first-of-its-kind federal training program to help detect and deter the unauthorized presence of drones near World Cup sites and related fan events.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
The payment network has faced years of scrutiny over fraud and unauthorized transfers, including a lawsuit filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in December 2024.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The smuggled animals, which were imported from both Hong Kong and Mexico without permits, included Mexican beaded lizards, Mexican box turtles and Yucatan box turtles and baby crocodiles, prosecutors said.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Lang calls Atterton, who’s in his prison cell with a smuggled phone, to tell him the job is done and that both Bailey-Brown and Sam have been terminated.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In a discussion that Padilla started about a secret Groundlings show for gross-out comedy, Palmer summoned the ancient name of one of the forbidden Millennial texts.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
Less than an hour’s drive from the holiday markets, on the way to Salla and its forbidden frontier, hundreds of Finnish soldiers are training to repel any future Russian invasion.—
Liam Denning,
Bloomberg,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The store was run by Sam Yuen, head of one of Los Angeles’ tongs, which were secret societies made up of men from China who often dabbled in illicit activities.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
The phenomenon of illicit mining in Johannesburg and surrounding areas was one of the concerns that prompted the government in March to deploy the army to certain high-risk areas in a yearlong operation to stop violence linked to organized crime.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contraband.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraband. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
