as in to sell
to move (people or goods) from one country to another secretly and illegally
They were arrested for smuggling drugs across the border.
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Recent Examples of smuggle
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did charge Solis and Lopez, separately, in June and July 2025 — roughly a year after the allegations were made in the lawsuit — for allegedly smuggling Xanax into the county’s juvenile facilities.
—
Jason Henry, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The 23-year-old influencer appeared in court on April 24, where she was sentenced for her role in smuggling over 37 pounds of cannabis in a suitcase while traveling from Thailand to her home in Edinburgh in April 2025, reported the BBC and The Times.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
With Wolfgang’s life in danger, his fellow monk Jos Niesen — a member of the Dutch resistance — attempted to smuggle Wolfgang to Switzerland.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
Jarvis then spent eight years evading the FBI in Paris, London and Ibiza, after an industrial sized hash-smuggling operation went wrong.
—Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smuggle
Jason Henry, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The 23-year-old influencer appeared in court on April 24, where she was sentenced for her role in smuggling over 37 pounds of cannabis in a suitcase while traveling from Thailand to her home in Edinburgh in April 2025, reported the BBC and The Times.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
With Wolfgang’s life in danger, his fellow monk Jos Niesen — a member of the Dutch resistance — attempted to smuggle Wolfgang to Switzerland.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
Jarvis then spent eight years evading the FBI in Paris, London and Ibiza, after an industrial sized hash-smuggling operation went wrong.
—Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smuggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggle
Verb
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The experience is still going to sell to a lot of people who can afford it—I’m getting the college experience, the frats, the football.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
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Don’t miss the Botanical Garden Shop near the entrance, which sells plants, flowers, and seeds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The first wave of Social Security payments for May is scheduled to be distributed this week, following a normal schedule.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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But for the Christmas-week slate, when six of the 16 games were distributed via a premium platform, the league adheres closely to that 87% free model.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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However, rights groups, including Global Witness, have long urged jewelers to avoid buying Burmese gemstones, saying the trade helps fund the country's military governments, according to The Associated Press.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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During the liquidation process, other airlines will buy Spirit’s planes, hire some of its former employees, and, eventually, take over its slots, including those at the Marine Air Terminal.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Solar panels supply much of the resort’s energy, and chef gardens produce some of the menu ingredients.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
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Much of that flood of hyperscaler dollars will flow to chipmakers that supply data centers with computing capacity.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smuggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggle. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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