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
Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
In a case filed in September, the DOJ claimed Volgaev concealed and misrepresented his involvement in the smuggling operation during his naturalization process and thus should lose citizenship.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 2 June 2026
Christian Plowman of the International Fund for Animal Welfare told the AP that the scale of the operation points to something far more coordinated than opportunistic smuggling.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
The plea agreement, which was filed in Los Angeles federal court, said that Perez and his accomplices, which included his sister, used social media to arrange the details of the smuggling operation from 2016 to 2022.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Since last year, when the RSF overran parts of Darfur and Kordofan, the militia has commandeered the gum trade, integrating it into its smuggling empire and further starving government coffers.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Alcohol was banned at the stadium, but the Missourian ran stories about smuggling techniques.
—Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Yet the way to deal with that problem — as with the smuggling of fentanyl — isn’t to legalize their production and sale.
—Michael Bloomberg, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
Raj eventually seeks out Ahmad, who is demanding a big cash payout for his silence surrounding DarCo and the cocaine smuggling.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 28 May 2026
Theresa Clift
may 29, Sacbee.com, 29 May 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
Disney has created a narrative that explains why Din Djarin and Grogu are flying beside the Millennium Falcon on a mission to steal cargo for the ride’s smuggling main character, Hondo Ohnaka.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
He was charged with evading arrest and smuggling people and taken to Webb County Jail.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Congress is playing a role Congress has added to the pressure on nonprofits by holding hearings that have accused some of them of smuggling undocumented immigrants and alleging that others made improper payments to former Biden administration officials.
—Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
So yes, one very important achievement is that Hamas cannot really strengthen itself militarily, because Israel controls the Philadelphi Corridor, which prevents Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Is smuggling ants worth the risk?
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2026
In June 2025, Ukraine conducted Operation Spiderweb smuggling low-cost FPV drones into Russia inside containers and using them to strike strategic bombers worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars each.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
Officials described the discovery as a significant blow to criminal organizations that rely on underground smuggling routes to move narcotics and other contraband across the border.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
In a case filed in September, the DOJ claimed Volgaev concealed and misrepresented his involvement in the smuggling operation during his naturalization process and thus should lose citizenship.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 2 June 2026
Christian Plowman of the International Fund for Animal Welfare told the AP that the scale of the operation points to something far more coordinated than opportunistic smuggling.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
The plea agreement, which was filed in Los Angeles federal court, said that Perez and his accomplices, which included his sister, used social media to arrange the details of the smuggling operation from 2016 to 2022.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Since last year, when the RSF overran parts of Darfur and Kordofan, the militia has commandeered the gum trade, integrating it into its smuggling empire and further starving government coffers.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Alcohol was banned at the stadium, but the Missourian ran stories about smuggling techniques.
—Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Yet the way to deal with that problem — as with the smuggling of fentanyl — isn’t to legalize their production and sale.
—Michael Bloomberg, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
Raj eventually seeks out Ahmad, who is demanding a big cash payout for his silence surrounding DarCo and the cocaine smuggling.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 28 May 2026
Verb
In 2023, a then-medical assistant working for Avid Healthcare Services was charged with smuggling meth into the jail.
—Theresa Clift
may 29, Sacbee.com, 29 May 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
Disney has created a narrative that explains why Din Djarin and Grogu are flying beside the Millennium Falcon on a mission to steal cargo for the ride’s smuggling main character, Hondo Ohnaka.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
He was charged with evading arrest and smuggling people and taken to Webb County Jail.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Congress is playing a role Congress has added to the pressure on nonprofits by holding hearings that have accused some of them of smuggling undocumented immigrants and alleging that others made improper payments to former Biden administration officials.
—Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
So yes, one very important achievement is that Hamas cannot really strengthen itself militarily, because Israel controls the Philadelphi Corridor, which prevents Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Is smuggling ants worth the risk?
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2026
In June 2025, Ukraine conducted Operation Spiderweb smuggling low-cost FPV drones into Russia inside containers and using them to strike strategic bombers worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars each.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggling
Noun
-
The animal's population has been heavily impacted by habitat loss, poaching and disease, such as Ebola.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
Viola recommends boiling, poaching, or low-heat scrambling your eggs to preserve their micronutrients.—
Mykenna Maniece,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
-
After selling what is now known simply as KFC to a group of investors in 1964, Sanders remained the company's public face and spokesman and often voiced concerns about changes to the restaurant's food, according to food publication The Takeout.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The issue of fraud and piracy, particularly related to the sale of counterfeit tickets, is a problem that experts and officials warn could happen in any part of the country.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
For instance, the department might allow trusts to take unlimited deductions on distributing income to beneficiaries such as family members, which would resolve the biggest concern for financial advisors, Miller said.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
-
In distributing these weak linkages throughout a material like polystyrene, the mechanophores split in two as a crack begins to propagate, successfully redirecting the crack and dissipating the destructive energy.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Yes, Stolen Baby is based on the real-life murder of Broussard and the kidnapping of her daughter, Margo Elizabeth Carey.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
But a week after reporting the kidnapping, investigators arrested the couple at their Cabazon home after determining that Emmanuel was most likely dead and the couple had faked their story.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Eight bodies have been found in plastic bags in a southwestern narco-trafficking hotspot, where eight people went missing on Sunday, Ecuadoran police said Wednesday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
-
Ali kills the sex- and drug-trafficking tycoon with three shotgun blasts to the chest.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 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
Noun
-
Upon arrival, the constant chime of notifications stops, replaced by the sounds of Gulf waves, the rustling of marsh grasses, and the calls of shorebirds.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
-
From the anti-Trump side, meanwhile, the American people hear a nervous rustling of vague doubts.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smuggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggling. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
