as in poaching
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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.
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Recent Examples of smuggling
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Shackelford’s three co-conspirators pleaded guilty in connection with the prison bribery and contraband smuggling scheme.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Supermicro launches probe into cofounder’s Nvidia chip-smuggling arrest.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Xinis pointed out that the Justice Department is prosecuting him in Tennessee on human smuggling charges.
—Travis Loller, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Xinis pointed out that the DOJ is prosecuting him in Tennessee on human smuggling charges.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Parts of the main house date to the late 18th century—it is thought to have originally been built for the governor of Dartmouth—and the property has long been linked to smuggling.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026
The 20-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and the human cargo was taken to a hospital for injuries suffered during the smuggling attempt, authorities said.
—Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
The report did not specify when the handover took place or provide further details on the drug Han was accused of smuggling.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026
Shares rose 4% after the company revealed on Tuesday that two independent members of the company's board are conducting an investigation regarding the indictment of employees accused of smuggling Nvidia chips to China.
—Davis Giangiulio,darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
Pauli argued that some additional, invisible particle must be smuggling the leftover energy into the world.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Of those, five pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill Haiti’s president while a sixth pleaded guilty to smuggling ballistic vests into the Caribbean country.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
The 56-year-old Chinese national, Stanley Yi Zheng, allegedly began conspiring with Americans Matthew Kelly and Tommy Shad English about smuggling the chips to China in May 2023.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
The facility was allegedly operated by a Chinese national involved in smuggling counterfeit COVID tests while receiving millions in unexplained payments from China.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
But court records and the company’s own disclosures show that the latest allegations of smuggling to a restricted market show striking similarities to a 20-year-old enforcement action also involving Supermicro.
—Matthew Heimer, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
During the past few years, the Houthis have become less reliant on Iran for weapons, smuggling in drone components from Chinese companies and small arms from the Horn of Africa.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
After moving back to Miami, Perera pleaded guilty in the mid-1990s to cocaine trafficking and tax-fraud charges in the massive drug-smuggling case against the Colombian cartel and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Shackelford’s three co-conspirators pleaded guilty in connection with the prison bribery and contraband smuggling scheme.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Supermicro launches probe into cofounder’s Nvidia chip-smuggling arrest.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Xinis pointed out that the Justice Department is prosecuting him in Tennessee on human smuggling charges.
—Travis Loller, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Xinis pointed out that the DOJ is prosecuting him in Tennessee on human smuggling charges.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Parts of the main house date to the late 18th century—it is thought to have originally been built for the governor of Dartmouth—and the property has long been linked to smuggling.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026
The 20-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and the human cargo was taken to a hospital for injuries suffered during the smuggling attempt, authorities said.
—Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
The report did not specify when the handover took place or provide further details on the drug Han was accused of smuggling.
—Reuters, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
This process, however, led to some accusing Gilgan of smuggling full-on undisclosed AI slop into the pages of the paper of record.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026
Shares rose 4% after the company revealed on Tuesday that two independent members of the company's board are conducting an investigation regarding the indictment of employees accused of smuggling Nvidia chips to China.
—Davis Giangiulio,darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
Pauli argued that some additional, invisible particle must be smuggling the leftover energy into the world.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Of those, five pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill Haiti’s president while a sixth pleaded guilty to smuggling ballistic vests into the Caribbean country.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
The 56-year-old Chinese national, Stanley Yi Zheng, allegedly began conspiring with Americans Matthew Kelly and Tommy Shad English about smuggling the chips to China in May 2023.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
The facility was allegedly operated by a Chinese national involved in smuggling counterfeit COVID tests while receiving millions in unexplained payments from China.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
But court records and the company’s own disclosures show that the latest allegations of smuggling to a restricted market show striking similarities to a 20-year-old enforcement action also involving Supermicro.
—Matthew Heimer, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
During the past few years, the Houthis have become less reliant on Iran for weapons, smuggling in drone components from Chinese companies and small arms from the Horn of Africa.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggling
Noun
-
Panthera says poaching is down, and the protection and revitalization has made the forest more amenable to big cats.—
Tom Page,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
-
And while progress has been made, the species is still classified as near threatened, and The Wilds says threats like habitat loss and poaching underscore the importance of continuing conservation work.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And Iran was profiting handsomely off its sales, selling its oil for a premium of several dollars above the price of Brent crude, the international benchmark.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
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Emmline Toussaint, main coordinator of Mary’s Meals’ BND school-feeding program in Haiti, said that gas stations in some regions are selling fuel 25% to 30% higher than even what the government stipulated because of gang violence and difficulties with trucks trying to access certain areas.—
Evens Sanon,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lower courts also have to grapple with how the Supreme Court ruling might affect piracy cases that don’t involve broadband service.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
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The Navy has for years played a central role in maritime campaigns to suppress piracy off the Somali coast.—
Gerry Doyle,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Salvador Plasencia, a former physician, was sentenced in December to 30 months in prison for illegally distributing ketamine to Perry and his assistant.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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In her plea agreement, Sangha admitted to knowingly distributing ketamine to Perry, whose struggles with drug addiction and numerous rehab visits were well documented.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane appears to have broken his silence on a federal kidnapping case involving him and his label.—
DeAsia Paige,
AJC.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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Horner, 34, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to capital murder in the course of kidnapping.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Washington has intensified its crackdown on the Cartel del Noreste - heir to the former Zetas - which has been accused of trafficking weapons, drugs and people, and is characterized by its violent practices and extortion.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Matt wasn't so sure, pointing to his record of selling drugs and trafficking weapons, but Foggy argued in favor of giving even someone who has done terrible things a second chance.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 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
Noun
-
From the anti-Trump side, meanwhile, the American people hear a nervous rustling of vague doubts.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
-
In the teaser, above, Joanna, 47, can be seen speaking on-camera discussing the plans for the construction of the home on the balcony before a rustling can be heard coming from the woods behind her.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smuggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggling. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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