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
Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
John Gerant left the force and turned to drug smuggling.
—Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Inevitably, human smuggling is big business.
—Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
In 2002, a federal grand jury indicted LABS of Virginia and three of its board members for smuggling.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
In Ghana, the nation’s first commercial gold refinery opened in August 2024 and Mahama launched a new regulator, GoldBod, to crack down on smuggling and boost state revenues.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Crenshaw has also ordered the DOJ to turn over internal communications tied to the decision to pursue the case, which resulted in two immigrant-smuggling charges returned by a grand jury in May.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 29 Oct. 2025
But that also means smuggling organizations are becoming more sophisticated and are taking greater risks, Saldivar said.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Li said Sunday that the parties had brokered a preliminary framework for a trade truce including new provisions regarding China’s export controls and safeguards against the smuggling of fentanyl and its chemical precursors.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 27 Oct. 2025
Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
The president initially said last week that the administration may go to Congress for authorization to strike drug cartels that are smuggling on land.
—The Hill, 27 Oct. 2025
Unable to land a starting spot on the team, Hanson turned to drugs to get ahead, smuggling in steroids from Tijuana to gain a physical advantage.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Yunqing Jian was accused in the case of smuggling a fungus that federal prosecutors said can cause a disease in crops.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Federal agents stopped three boats that were en route to South Florida from the Bahamas and were smuggling large loads of cocaine and dozens of Chinese migrants last week, according to court documents.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
While in prison, Bundy escaped twice, and it is believed that Boone assisted his escapes by smuggling him cash, per Rolling Stone.
—Makena Gera, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
In recent years, thieves have pulled off elaborate heists of rare, million-dollar collectible cars, sometimes smuggling them out of their country of origin, retrofitting them with fake paperwork, and reselling them on the international market.
—Stayton Bonner, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2025
Heng had been involved in smuggling the fish in luggage and selling them, but he was only charged with possession, prosecutors said.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
Chengxuan Han, who also previously worked at the laboratory, was earlier charged with smuggling and making false statements.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
John Gerant left the force and turned to drug smuggling.
—Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Inevitably, human smuggling is big business.
—Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
In 2002, a federal grand jury indicted LABS of Virginia and three of its board members for smuggling.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
In Ghana, the nation’s first commercial gold refinery opened in August 2024 and Mahama launched a new regulator, GoldBod, to crack down on smuggling and boost state revenues.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Crenshaw has also ordered the DOJ to turn over internal communications tied to the decision to pursue the case, which resulted in two immigrant-smuggling charges returned by a grand jury in May.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 29 Oct. 2025
But that also means smuggling organizations are becoming more sophisticated and are taking greater risks, Saldivar said.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Li said Sunday that the parties had brokered a preliminary framework for a trade truce including new provisions regarding China’s export controls and safeguards against the smuggling of fentanyl and its chemical precursors.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
This summer, the president has deployed thousands of troops, attack helicopters and warships to the Caribbean to attack fishing boats suspected of smuggling cocaine out of Venezuela.
—Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
The president initially said last week that the administration may go to Congress for authorization to strike drug cartels that are smuggling on land.
—The Hill, 27 Oct. 2025
Unable to land a starting spot on the team, Hanson turned to drugs to get ahead, smuggling in steroids from Tijuana to gain a physical advantage.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Yunqing Jian was accused in the case of smuggling a fungus that federal prosecutors said can cause a disease in crops.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Federal agents stopped three boats that were en route to South Florida from the Bahamas and were smuggling large loads of cocaine and dozens of Chinese migrants last week, according to court documents.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
While in prison, Bundy escaped twice, and it is believed that Boone assisted his escapes by smuggling him cash, per Rolling Stone.
—Makena Gera, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
In recent years, thieves have pulled off elaborate heists of rare, million-dollar collectible cars, sometimes smuggling them out of their country of origin, retrofitting them with fake paperwork, and reselling them on the international market.
—Stayton Bonner, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2025
Heng had been involved in smuggling the fish in luggage and selling them, but he was only charged with possession, prosecutors said.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggling
Noun
-
The healthiest cooking methods include boiling, poaching, baking, and scrambling.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Its lighter, more delicate texture is best suited to baking, poaching, or searing.—
Rachael Zimlich,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The poppy became such a recognizable symbol for remembrance observances that veterans’ groups started selling paper replicas of the flowers to raise money for veterans’ causes.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Trump has partly addressed the shortfall by selling NATO weapons for transfer to Ukraine (more air-defense weapons are still needed, though).—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Independent filmmakers and writers now face a new kind of piracy; their content duplicated in seconds, stripped of context, and monetized by companies that never paid to make it.—
Gerard Scimeca,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Bartz was struck by the boldness of the theft, noting that internal communications from Anthropic showed blatant awareness of the piracy.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Lionsgate is distributing the movie domestically, while Universal handles the global launch.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Capital Area Food Bank has been distributing food to federal workers affected by the shutdown.—
The NPR Network,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One of its founders, William da Silva Lima, spent more than 30 years behind bars after being convicted of armed robbery, extortion and kidnapping.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The kidnapping, and Hannibal Lecter's confinement in a ballroom take place in Memphis.—
Keith Sharon,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
All except Smith were charged with trafficking Class A drugs.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
In one case, McGuire said five people are charged in connection with trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana into the Trousdale Correctional Facility.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In Nigeria, for example, states like Borno, Zamfara, and parts of Kaduna and Katsina have experienced ongoing insecurity due to armed insurgent groups and banditry, which can restrict or delay vaccination campaigns.—
Dr. Tunji Funsho,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But most exciting was any sudden splash, or a strange, distant cry, or a mysterious rustling in the thick shore brush.—
Ryan Knighton,
AFAR Media,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Great gray owls hunt blind, flying low, listening to the faintest rustling of a mouse beneath snow.—
Kate Siber,
Outside,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smuggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggling. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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