smuggler

noun

smug·​gler ˈsmə-glər How to pronounce smuggler (audio)
plural smugglers
Synonyms of smugglernext
: one who smuggles something
The traffic in drugs—especially cocaine—to Florida by sea and air from South America has been generating wealth to rival that of the tourist trade and attracting a cadre of ingenious and ruthless smugglers from around the world.Jeremiah Tax
In nearby Nogales smugglers tunnel 6 ft. under the border and funnel people through.Terry McCarthy
Officials in Paraguay raided a wildlife smuggling operation in its capital city, Asunción, on March 25, recovering two critically endangered Brazilian parrots, which Paraguayan smugglers had hoped to sell in West Germany for $40,000.Focus

Examples of smuggler in a Sentence

during Prohibition, smugglers of alcohol did a brisk business
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Past disputes have included Australian intelligence wiretapping accusations involving Indonesia's former president, the execution of Australian drug smugglers and tensions over people smuggling. Niniek Karmini, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026 These days, most kidnappings are typically connected to domestic or family issues, human smugglers or mental illness. Chris Kenning, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026 In the 1980s and 1990s, the elder Robbins and other officers created havoc among Santa Cruz’s pot smugglers and dealers and growers, of which there were many, for the region had long been a hub of the weed and illicit drugs trade. Scott Eden, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026 When they were caught in Mexico, his smuggler abandoned him. Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for smuggler

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of smuggler was in 1661

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Cite this Entry

“Smuggler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smuggler. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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