as in trade
a system through which things are bought and sold illegally
The black market in prescription drugs is thriving. They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.
Related Words
Relevance
as in to smuggle
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 black-market
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Many made their own, reused them, or bought them at black-market prices.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 24 June 2025
As president, Trump has established a strategic bitcoin reserve for the federal government and pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, a black market website that was key to the early growth of bitcoin.
—Arkansas Online, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for black-market
Noun
Yikes: People are getting black-market silicone injected into their butts.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Many made their own, reused them, or bought them at black-market prices.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
Verb
In a rehashing of the arguments made ahead of the state’s decision to legalize sports betting, bookmakers are appealing to lawmakers to allow Bay State residents to do their casino gambling from home legally and remove the industry from black market hands.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 24 June 2025
As president, Trump has established a strategic bitcoin reserve for the federal government and pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, a black market website that was key to the early growth of bitcoin.
—Arkansas Online, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for black-market
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black-market
Noun
-
The buzz: Rule 1 of the trade deadline: Every contender needs relief help, every year.—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
29 July 2025
-
Cora understands how tough the trade deadline can be from a player perspective considering his 14 seasons as one in MLB.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
This incident follows a similar one earlier this year where a man attempted to smuggle a turtle in his pants at Newark Liberty International Airport.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
-
Furthermore, each product will be tracked from production or import all the way to patient use through a centralized tracking system designed to block counterfeit, smuggled, or unauthorized products from entering the legal market.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Existing in somewhat of a gray market in Maryland over the past several years, local hemp businesses have been able to grow, process and sell their products without the need for a cannabis license.—
Dan Belson,
Baltimore Sun,
16 June 2025
-
You shouldn’t be worried as long as the filler is FDA-approved, purchased from a legitimate source (not gray market) and injected by a qualified professional.—
Carlos Wolf,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2025
Verb
-
Given the scale of its Russian crude purchases, Beijing has room to barter with Trump and reduce its imports, but that won’t change China’s approach to Russia, according to Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
17 July 2025
-
Our community’s green space has been treated as expendable, bartered away for the benefit of an outside sports franchise.—
John Herbst,
Sun Sentinel,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
This includes expenses such as charitable donations, education expenses, business expenses, and home office deductions.—
Cindy McGhee,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
The policy prohibits routine meals and says food purchases must serve a business purpose, such as recognition events or emergency operations.—
Ella McCarthy,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
Verb
-
The fact we’re getting bootlegged and people are grabbing our voices and using ’em, rap needs to be taken as serious as any other genre!—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
11 July 2025
-
In 1920s Anaheim, the big local issue was bootlegging and Catholics, who were seen as foreigners in what was supposed to be an Anglo-Saxon Protestant country.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Big Beautiful Bill is expected to cause another 1.9 million Texans to go without insurance because of the changes in the Affordable Care Act subsidies to the marketplace and changes to Medicaid that will make renewal more difficult.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
-
Access to a universe of tokens, bustling marketplaces and chatbots is becoming a native part of how people communicate and manage their digital lives.—
Alexander Sudeykin,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
The suspect then exchanged gunfire with officers and was critically wounded, according to police.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
1 Aug. 2025
-
No money was exchanged or taken from any casino and into my pocket.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Black-market.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black-market. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share