black-mar·ket
ˈblak-ˈmär-kət 
black-marketed; black-marketing; black-markets
: to buy or sell goods in the black market
: to sell in the black market
: illicit trade in goods or commodities in violation of official regulations
also
: a place where such trade is carried on
Examples of black-market in a Sentence
Noun
The black market in prescription drugs is thriving.
They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sinan Ciddi and Jonathan Schanzer, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
But with success, came legal troubles and rumors of black-market operations.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Kayti Burt, Time, 4 Apr. 2025
The price of Iran’s currency, the rial, rallied slightly against the dollar on the black market.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for black-market
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Verb
Under Fidan's direction, Turkey facilitated ISIS' financing operations—including black-market oil and illicit antiquities sales.
—Sinan Ciddi and Jonathan Schanzer, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
But with success, came legal troubles and rumors of black-market operations.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
The black market surgeon is revealed to be Jeong-min, Ju-yeon’s boyfriend.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 4 Apr. 2025
The price of Iran’s currency, the rial, rallied slightly against the dollar on the black market.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for black-market
Cite this Entry
“Black-market.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-market. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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