as in runners
a person who imports or exports goods secretly and illegally
during Prohibition, smugglers of alcohol did a brisk business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smugglers
The family travelled north from Central America for weeks, crossing rivers by night and riding concealed in smugglers’ trucks.
—
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Washington should therefore seek reinvigorated technical dialogues on promoting high standards for nuclear security and making sure that nuclear materials do not fall into the hands of smugglers or terrorists.
—Mariano-Florentino CuÉllar, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025
In this case, the smugglers are accused of providing false information to the freight forwarder, causing false manifests with Customs and Border Protection.
—Christina Hall, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
In this case, the smugglers are accused of providing false information to the freight forwarder, causing false manifests with Customs and Border Protection.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The island chain is along routes that smugglers use to import cocaine, marijuana and other narcotics into the United States.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Since the ability to smuggle in narcotics and humans by simply walking over the border has been eliminated, smugglers are now forced to think of another way to enter our nation.
—Mike Garcia, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2025
What are common misconceptions about human smugglers?
—Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024
In its travels around Brazil and America, the stone has wreaked havoc on the lives of smugglers, schemers and dreamers.
—Clara Harter, Sun Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2024
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Washington should therefore seek reinvigorated technical dialogues on promoting high standards for nuclear security and making sure that nuclear materials do not fall into the hands of smugglers or terrorists.
—Mariano-Florentino CuÉllar, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025
In this case, the smugglers are accused of providing false information to the freight forwarder, causing false manifests with Customs and Border Protection.
—Christina Hall, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
In this case, the smugglers are accused of providing false information to the freight forwarder, causing false manifests with Customs and Border Protection.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The island chain is along routes that smugglers use to import cocaine, marijuana and other narcotics into the United States.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Since the ability to smuggle in narcotics and humans by simply walking over the border has been eliminated, smugglers are now forced to think of another way to enter our nation.
—Mike Garcia, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2025
What are common misconceptions about human smugglers?
—Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024
In its travels around Brazil and America, the stone has wreaked havoc on the lives of smugglers, schemers and dreamers.
—Clara Harter, Sun Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smugglers
Noun
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With one out and Alex Bregman up with runners on first and second, Chisholm ranged to his left, pivoted and made an accurate throw to shortstop Anthony Volpe off his back foot to turn a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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The New York Yankees were tied with the Boston Red Sox, 3-3, in the top of the seventh when Cruz came in with runners on first and second with nobody out.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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From car couriers to bikes to sidewalk robots and now drones, Uber is aiming to build the most flexible delivery network in the world.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The money couriers including Fernandi Choi, who testified in the CTJ trial, were later charged, but not as part of this specific case.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Groucho Marx stars as the new president of Huxley College, who attempts to sign on two pro players to help beat rival Darwin University but ends up getting a pair of bootleggers instead.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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Kentucky's vast wilderness and mountainous regions served as hideaways for bootleggers, Rein said, while the government used paid informants to sniff them out.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smugglers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smugglers. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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