as in sold
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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as in contraband
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Recent Examples of smuggled
Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
They are smuggled to Bangladesh and India by ethnic rebels who are both fighting the junta and in business with it.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Anti-junta forces now control the entire China-Kachin boundary, through which rare earths, timber, jade and other treasures are smuggled.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Bad policy is often smuggled into law in must-pass omnibus packages.
—David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
When exactly the statue’s head and torso were separated isn’t known, but experts now think that both pieces were smuggled out of the country in the 1960s.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
Over the past year, these criminal groups allegedly smuggled a tonne of gold while recruiting couriers on commercial flights.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Museum for Rescued Art opened in Rome to display artifacts that were stolen from across Italy and smuggled into the United States.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Saudi ambassador in Beirut reported that the authorities in the kingdom had confiscated 700 million tablets smuggled from Lebanon since 2014.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
At various points, young girls are smuggled in containers and even in animal carcasses.
—Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
They are smuggled to Bangladesh and India by ethnic rebels who are both fighting the junta and in business with it.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Anti-junta forces now control the entire China-Kachin boundary, through which rare earths, timber, jade and other treasures are smuggled.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Bad policy is often smuggled into law in must-pass omnibus packages.
—David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
When exactly the statue’s head and torso were separated isn’t known, but experts now think that both pieces were smuggled out of the country in the 1960s.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
Over the past year, these criminal groups allegedly smuggled a tonne of gold while recruiting couriers on commercial flights.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Museum for Rescued Art opened in Rome to display artifacts that were stolen from across Italy and smuggled into the United States.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Saudi ambassador in Beirut reported that the authorities in the kingdom had confiscated 700 million tablets smuggled from Lebanon since 2014.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggled
Verb
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They were sold in California, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
28 Dec. 2024
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The winning ticket in Friday's drawing was sold at a Circle K store in Cottonwood, California.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
28 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Individual schools will determine how much will be distributed to each team.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2025
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What to Know Retirement checks are distributed throughout the month, based on the recipient's birth date and the duration of their benefit payments.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The company detected unauthorized third-party access to internal U.S. business systems on Nov. 6.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
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Virtual events can open the door to serious threats like data breaches, phishing attacks and unauthorized access to proprietary content.—
Michele Dobnikar,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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LoRaWAN runs on unlicensed spectrum, boasts a 10-year battery life and can cover many kilometers.—
Stephen Farrugia,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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Years later, Lisa is commissioner of the NBA and Bart is running an unlicensed retirement home where Homer lives.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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The settlement stems from allegations that Epic used misleading tactics to prompt unapproved purchases, especially by children playing without supervision.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
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In his letter of resignation, former Urban Corps board member Mario Sierra noted that Kennedy tried to threaten him into covering up the unapproved renovations.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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As of Friday afternoon, the National Parks Service had approved a protest permit for just one demonstration related to the parade, but other unsanctioned protests could pop up.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
14 June 2025
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In their defense, Secretary Clinton and other officials have said that the unsanctioned communication methods are, simply put, more convenient.—
Anna Mulrine Grobe,
Christian Science Monitor,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smuggled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggled. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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