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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smuggling
Sergio Candido, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
That chat led to an introduction to customs officer Sumit Sarkar, whose candid insights into how smuggling networks and customs operations actually function became the backbone of the series.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Frontiers are already porous here, crossed by smuggling routes, refugee trails and militant hideouts.
—Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors say that in 2024, Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj held hostage two Guatemalan nationals smuggled into the United States who had not paid smuggling fees.
—City News Service, Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
The latter probably entails smuggling weapons, explosives, and communications equipment into Iran to support any insurgents, and providing some training and direction.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
There were nine passengers in the car, and the officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling.
—Travis Loller The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2026
The boarding crew noticed panels containing the vessel’s bilge pump were manipulated, raising suspicion it was being used for smuggling, the complaint states.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
According to court filings, the gang’s criminal activities include human smuggling, extortion, drug trafficking, kidnapping and robbery.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
The sixth pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of smuggling ballistic vests to the Colombian commandos hired by Intriago’s company, Counter Terrorist Unit Security, to execute the hit job, according to court records.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
In the film, a widow named Claire (Minnelli) gets involved in smuggling alcohol with her lover, Walker (Reynolds), and his friend, Kibby (Hackman).
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Aaliyah Lyles, a former commissary employee at the Tarrant County Jail, was arrested and charged with smuggling drugs into the facility around the time of Wormley’s death, the Star-Telegram previously reported.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
New York woman Stacey Medina Guzman, 24, was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly smuggling 12 bricks of cocaine in duty-free alcohol boxes on a commercial flight from the Dominican Republic to Boston Logan International Airport.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
In league with the Nazis, Beckett is orchestrating a soft takeover of the UK by smuggling £350 million in fake bank notes into the country, a move that will tank the British economy.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Another video showed the volunteers smuggling in food killed and dumped in a ditch.
—Yousra Elbagir, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Nearly a dozen Florida gang members and associates were indicted on racketeering charges for smuggling drugs into prisons across the state and attempting to kill their own members, Orlando’s top federal prosecutor said Friday.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
According to court records, the family was taken hostage by the human smuggling organization, which demanded money from relatives.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
That chat led to an introduction to customs officer Sumit Sarkar, whose candid insights into how smuggling networks and customs operations actually function became the backbone of the series.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Frontiers are already porous here, crossed by smuggling routes, refugee trails and militant hideouts.
—Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors say that in 2024, Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj held hostage two Guatemalan nationals smuggled into the United States who had not paid smuggling fees.
—City News Service, Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
The latter probably entails smuggling weapons, explosives, and communications equipment into Iran to support any insurgents, and providing some training and direction.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
There were nine passengers in the car, and the officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling.
—Travis Loller The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2026
The boarding crew noticed panels containing the vessel’s bilge pump were manipulated, raising suspicion it was being used for smuggling, the complaint states.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
According to court filings, the gang’s criminal activities include human smuggling, extortion, drug trafficking, kidnapping and robbery.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
The sixth pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of smuggling ballistic vests to the Colombian commandos hired by Intriago’s company, Counter Terrorist Unit Security, to execute the hit job, according to court records.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
In the film, a widow named Claire (Minnelli) gets involved in smuggling alcohol with her lover, Walker (Reynolds), and his friend, Kibby (Hackman).
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Aaliyah Lyles, a former commissary employee at the Tarrant County Jail, was arrested and charged with smuggling drugs into the facility around the time of Wormley’s death, the Star-Telegram previously reported.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
New York woman Stacey Medina Guzman, 24, was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly smuggling 12 bricks of cocaine in duty-free alcohol boxes on a commercial flight from the Dominican Republic to Boston Logan International Airport.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
In league with the Nazis, Beckett is orchestrating a soft takeover of the UK by smuggling £350 million in fake bank notes into the country, a move that will tank the British economy.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Another video showed the volunteers smuggling in food killed and dumped in a ditch.
—Yousra Elbagir, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Nearly a dozen Florida gang members and associates were indicted on racketeering charges for smuggling drugs into prisons across the state and attempting to kill their own members, Orlando’s top federal prosecutor said Friday.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggling
Noun
-
For wildlife-rich areas, a night tourism presence can also help prevent poaching.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
-
After six years back and forth in the courts, former The Newsroom writer John Musero’s suit against Creative Artists Agency over the alleged poaching of his Main Justice pilot script has taken a couple more dramatic turns and alleged blacklists on its way to trial this coming October.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
According to a report by the Korean outlet Donga, citing industry sources and insiders, Samsung may have recently finished Galaxy Z TriFold production and is now selling through its current stock.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
16 Mar. 2026
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Solorio's cousin said the two children face a long road ahead and funds raised from selling homemade meals will go toward their healing.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The role of piracy and resources The same corridors in which Beijing is concentrating port investment are also hot spots for maritime crime.—
Dylan Spencer,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Putin denounced that interception as an act of piracy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Products are usually added to the vintage list five years after Apple stops distributing them, and to the obsolete list after seven years.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The police department has been distributing flyers to condo buildings, urging them to secure their entrances to prevent the climbers from getting inside.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Artists for Artists will produce a kidnapping thriller with a dark comedy element.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Mar. 2026
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The Nancy Guthrie kidnapping hasn’t really given us a lot of actionable evidence.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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He was also convicted in federal court in New York for a drug trafficking offense and wa s sentenced to two years in prison.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Many operations have run out of compounds in southeast Asia staffed with human trafficking victims.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 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 17 Mar. 2026.
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