as in poaching
Related Words
Relevance
as in selling
to move (people or goods) from one country to another secretly and illegally
They were arrested for smuggling drugs across the border.
Related Words
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 smuggling
Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
Authorities across the region have linked the group to human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, contract killings, drug trafficking and migrant smuggling.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
The profits from smuggling helped cement an alliance between a faction of Tigray’s military commanders and their Eritrean counterparts, who had fought on opposing sides of the previous war.
—Claire Wilmot & Gisa Tunbridge, The Dial, 12 June 2026
The 55-year-old was suspected in a series of large-scale drug smuggling operations, according to the Australian Federal Police.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
His testimony is essentially a detailed indictment of enforcement failures — smuggling, remote access loopholes, the Blackwell gap, lax Entity List additions, distillation attacks — and a call to pass a specific package of bipartisan bills.
—Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
In March, the company said a co-founder resigned from its board after he was named in a federal indictment over allegations of smuggling equipment containing Nvidia AI chips into China.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 9 June 2026
In 2025, Lithuania took Belarus to the International Court of Justice, accusing the Lukashenko government of organizing large-scale migrant smuggling into Lithuania.
—Tatsiana Kulakevich, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Even if the administration had evidence of drug smuggling, that is not the same thing as a conviction; and even if these people had a conviction, federal law does not establish capital punishment for drug trafficking.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Rival gangs smuggling cocaine from neighboring Colombia and Peru to North America and Europe battle for control of coastal hubs — including Manta.
—Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Thai authorities have said the bombing was revenge by a people smuggling gang whose activities had been disrupted by the police.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Just days ago, officials said Indonesian authorities arrested two Russian nationals suspected of smuggling drugs into Bali after a high-speed car chase hit several pedestrians.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
Bootleggers smuggling various liquors like whiskey and gin found that the soft drink was particularly good at making these spirits easier to drink.
—Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026
From 2014 to 2018 alone, prosecutors allege, Ghomi is accused of smuggling more than 250 metric tons of networking equipment into Iran.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
In June 2025, the Justice Department charged three Chinese citizens who did research at U-M with smuggling biological hazards into the United States.
—John Wisely, Freep.com, 3 June 2026
While little is known about the nephew at this time, El Chapo is notorious for leading the Sinaloa Cartel and smuggling drugs into the United States.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2026
Noun
The United Arab Emirates has become the main destination for conflict minerals from the Central African Republic, placing Dubai at the center of a lucrative trade in gold and diamonds tied to armed groups and foreign smuggling networks, according to a new investigation.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
Authorities across the region have linked the group to human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, contract killings, drug trafficking and migrant smuggling.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
The profits from smuggling helped cement an alliance between a faction of Tigray’s military commanders and their Eritrean counterparts, who had fought on opposing sides of the previous war.
—Claire Wilmot & Gisa Tunbridge, The Dial, 12 June 2026
The 55-year-old was suspected in a series of large-scale drug smuggling operations, according to the Australian Federal Police.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
His testimony is essentially a detailed indictment of enforcement failures — smuggling, remote access loopholes, the Blackwell gap, lax Entity List additions, distillation attacks — and a call to pass a specific package of bipartisan bills.
—Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
In March, the company said a co-founder resigned from its board after he was named in a federal indictment over allegations of smuggling equipment containing Nvidia AI chips into China.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 9 June 2026
In 2025, Lithuania took Belarus to the International Court of Justice, accusing the Lukashenko government of organizing large-scale migrant smuggling into Lithuania.
—Tatsiana Kulakevich, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Even if the administration had evidence of drug smuggling, that is not the same thing as a conviction; and even if these people had a conviction, federal law does not establish capital punishment for drug trafficking.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Verb
In 2023, a then-medical assistant working for Avid Healthcare Services was charged with smuggling meth into the jail.
—Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Rival gangs smuggling cocaine from neighboring Colombia and Peru to North America and Europe battle for control of coastal hubs — including Manta.
—Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Thai authorities have said the bombing was revenge by a people smuggling gang whose activities had been disrupted by the police.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Just days ago, officials said Indonesian authorities arrested two Russian nationals suspected of smuggling drugs into Bali after a high-speed car chase hit several pedestrians.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
Bootleggers smuggling various liquors like whiskey and gin found that the soft drink was particularly good at making these spirits easier to drink.
—Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026
From 2014 to 2018 alone, prosecutors allege, Ghomi is accused of smuggling more than 250 metric tons of networking equipment into Iran.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
In June 2025, the Justice Department charged three Chinese citizens who did research at U-M with smuggling biological hazards into the United States.
—John Wisely, Freep.com, 3 June 2026
While little is known about the nephew at this time, El Chapo is notorious for leading the Sinaloa Cartel and smuggling drugs into the United States.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggling
Noun
-
The school also runs a cooking basics program that covers mise en place, knife skills, soup and stock production, sauce making and a wide range of cooking methods — roasting, grilling, sautéing, pan-frying, stir-frying, braising, poaching and steaming.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
-
That same basics camp walks students through roasting, grilling, sautéing, pan-frying, stir-frying, braising, poaching and steaming.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
So, yes, if the rebuild takes on the look of a long-term agenda, then selling high might need to be an avenue navigated.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
There are more brands now selling artisanal pickles in distinctive flavors like honey harissa (or gimmicky ones that beg for virality, like purple grape), and many of them are sold at national grocery chains.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The park is also one of several spots in both the Inner and Outer Banks where Blackbeard was known to roam during his heyday of piracy.—
Caroline Eubanks,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
-
Working with global partners and law enforcement authorities, ACE places a leading role in identifying and disrupting live sports piracy networks.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Volunteers from the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust have been distributing cold water and providing directions to cooling centers for the unhoused in downtown Miami.—
Manuel Bojorquez,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
For special education, the Education Department indirectly plays a critical role in the lives of students with disabilities, distributing billions of dollars to schools.—
Alia Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Issa Hamade and Ahmad Harb, both 32, and Sobhi Sobh, 33, were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, extortion, conspiracy, battery with intent to commit mayhem, robbery or grand larceny, and coercion with force or threats, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
Investigators learned that Canon was in custody at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on unrelated charges and arrested him for kidnapping, child endangerment, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
New Friend New Life serves about 350 women and girls each year who are victims of trafficking.—
Ginger Allen,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
The life of the 28-year-old Euphoria breakout was engulfed in controversy last year over a campaign for the fashion brand American Eagle that some accused of trafficking in racist tropes.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
In the northwest, criminal banditry has taken root in areas where state presence is thin.—
Yusuf Tuggar,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
In parts of the country, violent attacks, kidnappings and banditry shadow daily life.—
Vanessa Offiong,
CNN Money,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Zuppardi’s has operated a thriving wholesale program, supplying personal-sized frozen pizzas to supermarkets, bars and breweries in Connecticut as well as to pizza connoisseurs across the country, the city noted in a statement.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
-
The company said the move doesn't change its commitment to supplying its customers.—
CJ Haddad,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smuggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggling. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
