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
The same can be said for using a Pornhub-type site to pass contraband date along.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
The same deficiencies cited in contraband cases in the mid-2010s continue to appear in inspections a decade later.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Their world inside Parchman was defined by regulation of contraband items, the work they were told to do, conflicts with other inmates, and the corruption and neglect of the prison administrators.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Another witness in the trial was locked up in MDC Brooklyn when an inmate handed him a contraband cell phone in January 2024.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraband
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
The same deficiencies cited in contraband cases in the mid-2010s continue to appear in inspections a decade later.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Their world inside Parchman was defined by regulation of contraband items, the work they were told to do, conflicts with other inmates, and the corruption and neglect of the prison administrators.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Another witness in the trial was locked up in MDC Brooklyn when an inmate handed him a contraband cell phone in January 2024.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 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
-
Director James Cameron and The Walt Disney Company have been sued for unauthorized use of an Indigenous actress’ likeness without her knowledge and consent.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 May 2026
-
Since the City Council gave the Carmen Building historic status in July 2024, the property has faced more than 25 city code complaints about its condition and unauthorized access.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Writs of assistance were open‑ended search warrants granted to British customs officers to search for smuggled goods; they were not limited by time, person, or location, and no probable cause was required.—
Amanda Cats-Baril,
Twin Cities,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Women, whether secular or religious, remain forbidden to read, write or tell stories.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Unwilling to take orders or play by the rules of polite society, the two partner up as a bookmaker and his enforcer and run an illicit gambling operation that proves highly profitable — but dangerous.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
Mixing or using it with alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit substances can significantly slow breathing and lead to death.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contraband.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraband. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
