as in sold
to move (people or goods) from one country to another secretly and illegally
They were arrested for smuggling drugs across the border.
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as in contraband
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Recent Examples of smuggled
Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
They are smuggled to Bangladesh and India by ethnic rebels who are both fighting the junta and in business with it.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Anti-junta forces now control the entire China-Kachin boundary, through which rare earths, timber, jade and other treasures are smuggled.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Bad policy is often smuggled into law in must-pass omnibus packages.
—David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
When exactly the statue’s head and torso were separated isn’t known, but experts now think that both pieces were smuggled out of the country in the 1960s.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
Over the past year, these criminal groups allegedly smuggled a tonne of gold while recruiting couriers on commercial flights.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Museum for Rescued Art opened in Rome to display artifacts that were stolen from across Italy and smuggled into the United States.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Saudi ambassador in Beirut reported that the authorities in the kingdom had confiscated 700 million tablets smuggled from Lebanon since 2014.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
At various points, young girls are smuggled in containers and even in animal carcasses.
—Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
They are smuggled to Bangladesh and India by ethnic rebels who are both fighting the junta and in business with it.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Anti-junta forces now control the entire China-Kachin boundary, through which rare earths, timber, jade and other treasures are smuggled.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Bad policy is often smuggled into law in must-pass omnibus packages.
—David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
When exactly the statue’s head and torso were separated isn’t known, but experts now think that both pieces were smuggled out of the country in the 1960s.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
Over the past year, these criminal groups allegedly smuggled a tonne of gold while recruiting couriers on commercial flights.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Museum for Rescued Art opened in Rome to display artifacts that were stolen from across Italy and smuggled into the United States.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
In 2022, the Saudi ambassador in Beirut reported that the authorities in the kingdom had confiscated 700 million tablets smuggled from Lebanon since 2014.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggled
Verb
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The motion also requests that the federal government provide the manufacture date and original funding source for each of the wall materials sold to GovPlanet.—
Ayden Runnels,
Austin American-Statesman,
28 Dec. 2024
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The remaining 40% was sold in June to government and military surplus company GovPlanet, which moved the materials to Arizona in December and listed them for auction on its website – some of it with starting bids of $5.—
Ayden Runnels,
Austin American-Statesman,
28 Dec. 2024
Verb
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For those looking to ensure their estate is distributed according to their actual wishes rather than an outdated family tree, the best move is to consult a competent estate planning attorney (preferably one with a sense of humor about the whole thing).—
Ashley Case,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The products were distributed to Tokyo Central and Marukai stores in California.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Lower-skilled workers, at times unauthorized, play central roles in various industries, including construction, restaurants and manufacturing.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
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Many publishers, including Forbes, have sued AI companies, accusing them of copyright infringement for unauthorized use of content.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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However, legal analysis around Hungary’s crypto ban reveals a more nuanced reality where the July 1 legislation primarily targets unlicensed domestic exchanges rather than criminalizing everyday crypto trading.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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Questions continue to swirl after NYPD police officers chased a 15-year-old teen suspect who was then fatally struck by an unlicensed Lexus hit-and-run driver in Long Island just outside the city.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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In an email first reported by Sky News and confirmed by Fortune, NHS England warned that unapproved AI software that breached minimum standards could risk putting patients at harm.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
20 July 2025
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The patient, who was suffering from severe frostbite, reportedly felt significant pain during the unapproved amputation.—
Lesley Cosme Torres,
People.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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At a news conference in the park Friday morning, Ryles and members of the community blamed the city and its police force for not shutting down the unsanctioned event before the crowd size surged and things got out of control.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
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Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez said in a statement released Wednesday that the vehicles involved may have been part of an unsanctioned car club.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smuggled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggled. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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