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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to smuggle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of black market
Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025
On the flip side, conservative free market groups and law enforcement associations argue the proposal would amount to a ban on cigarettes, supercharging a black market for illicit products.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 2 Jan. 2025
Many will recognize him as a big-dino hunter in The Lost World (1997), a German nihilist in The Big Lebowski, a diabolical black-market eye surgeon in Minority Report (2002), or the devil himself in Constantine (2005).
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for black market
Noun
The Silk Road was a black market website that could only be accessed via using the not-always-perfectly-private Tor browser.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025
On the flip side, conservative free market groups and law enforcement associations argue the proposal would amount to a ban on cigarettes, supercharging a black market for illicit products.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
Not long afterward, Garner began to transition, purchasing black-market estrogen.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 2 Jan. 2025
Many will recognize him as a big-dino hunter in The Lost World (1997), a German nihilist in The Big Lebowski, a diabolical black-market eye surgeon in Minority Report (2002), or the devil himself in Constantine (2005).
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for black market
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black market
Noun
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So cap isn’t an issue if the Blues are considering any trades that can upgrade the roster.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
The Athletic,
7 Mar. 2025
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The Bears struck twice before free agency with a pair of trades for offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson from the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, addressing one of their biggest positions of need.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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For example, the new government has banned flights from Iran into Lebanon after Israel threatened to shoot down any planes suspected of being used to smuggle contraband into the country.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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Police said that the amount of cocaine the man had allegedly been trying to smuggle through the airport had been valued at more than 10,000 euros (just under $10,500), per a Monday, Feb. 24 news release.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Nevertheless, reports indicate that gray market resellers are utilizing entities registered outside China to purchase servers incorporating Nvidia’s latest offerings from companies based in several countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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And of the many unlicensed home care aides who work in gray market, many are immigrants, including many who are undocumented.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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One of the best parts about Traders Village though is haggling over pricing with dealers, who are often willing to negotiate, or even barter.—
Amanda Ogle,
Southern Living,
16 Dec. 2024
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Also staggering is the way the fraud schemes worked, where vulnerable patients were financial assets, used and bartered for the benefit of the people stealing taxpayer dollars.—
Stephanie Innes,
The Arizona Republic,
26 Jan. 2024
Noun
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And more people chose to work for themselves, submitting far more business applications than before the pandemic.—
Aatish Bhatia,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2025
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Last year, the company strengthened its business with the acquisition of Endeavor Energy Resources.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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
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In Chicago, as in other major cities, a few high-profile mobsters battled it out for bootlegging supremacy.—
Sarah Holzmann,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This isn’t the first time that Fanatics has partnered with another marketplace to cross-list its product.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
5 Mar. 2025
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With 12 stages of music, a bustling marketplace of over 60 craft and food vendors and dedicated spaces for kids’ activities, there’s truly something for everyone.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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During season five’s ballet party, Gina and Mosley exchanged a look that alluded to either an existing affair or a future one.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
26 Feb. 2025
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During a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2023, Messi and Rodrygo exchanged insults.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Black market.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black%20market. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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