as in prohibited
not legally permissible to possess, import, or export
The customs agents searched the shipping containers for contraband items.
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Recent Examples of contraband
Since 2020, the Milwaukee County Jail has recorded 175 contraband incidents and administered Narcan 50 times, according to a report from the county's judiciary, law enforcement and general services committee.
—
Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 16 Sep. 2025
At a talk at the Arkansas Attorney General’s office in Little Rock, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said that reclassifying contraband cellphones as unauthorized could sidestep the rule.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2025
Commissioners also said Erik Menendez's use of contraband cellphones was a factor in the denial.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
The moderate risk increase came after each report found that Erik and Lyle, in recent months, had been cited for breaking prison rules for contraband violations, specifically the possession of cell phones.
—Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraband
Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 16 Sep. 2025
At a talk at the Arkansas Attorney General’s office in Little Rock, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said that reclassifying contraband cellphones as unauthorized could sidestep the rule.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2025
Commissioners also said Erik Menendez's use of contraband cellphones was a factor in the denial.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
The moderate risk increase came after each report found that Erik and Lyle, in recent months, had been cited for breaking prison rules for contraband violations, specifically the possession of cell phones.
—Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraband
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraband
Adjective
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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
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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
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As previously reported by PEOPLE, Rajpaul died after undergoing an unauthorized butt-implant procedure performed by Adame and Galaz, authorities said.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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Start by checking your login history to see if there are any unauthorized sign-ins on your email or work accounts.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Laboratory tests of smuggled samples taken from late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny show that he was poisoned when he was imprisoned in a Siberian penal colony, his widow Yulia Navalnaya has said.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
17 Sep. 2025
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Inevitably, a few students were surreptitiously checking smuggled screens that day.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Lina, a young woman facing harsh coming-of-age rituals, forms a forbidden connection with a man.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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With every temptation, Jesus is lured into a forbidden world, and a terrified Joseph soon realizes that a demonic power is at work.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Trump has made combating the opioid crisis, particularly the influx of illicit fentanyl, a central focus of his administration's policies.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Fox News exclusively embedded with the Austin Police Department as part of a nationwide human trafficking operation targeting illicit Chinese massage parlors.—
Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contraband.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraband. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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