as in poaching
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as in selling
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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Recent Examples of smuggling
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
He was sentenced to 13½ years in prison for drug smuggling at Chelmsford Crown Court.
—CBS News, 18 May 2026
The politician believed the individuals were representatives of an international drug smuggling cartel.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
The annual loss of billions of dollars in human smuggling fees has forced corporate-sized crime rings in Mexico, known as cartels, to pivot to other means of profit, including fentanyl and other drugs.
—Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2026
Funding is overwhelmingly local and extractive — taxation, ransom, smuggling — which is precisely why these networks are so resilient.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
However, Anthropic claimed Chinese companies continue finding ways to access advanced computing through overseas infrastructure, smuggling operations, and loopholes in current restrictions.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
That exchange and more than a dozen others landed in court records alleging Zheng, Kelly, and a third co-conspirator, Tommy Shad English, 53, of Atlanta, conspired to commit smuggling and export control violations in March 2026.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 May 2026
As state enforcement weakens on both sides of the border, the cross-border fuel and narcotics smuggling networks that Baloch militants tax and target are likely to expand further.
—Amira Jadoon, The Conversation, 13 May 2026
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Last week, Bryant said investigators arrested Officer Javian Quintrell Blake, accusing him of buying phones and cigarettes and smuggling them into the jail for payment.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Is smuggling ants worth the risk?
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2026
In June 2025, Ukraine conducted Operation Spiderweb smuggling low-cost FPV drones into Russia inside containers and using them to strike strategic bombers worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars each.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
During this period, Vale was charged, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to about five years in prison for smuggling Cuban migrants into the United States.
—Jay Weaver
may 14, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
Super Micro tanked earlier this year after employees were charged with smuggling Nvidia chips into the country.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 May 2026
From Scritti Politti to Pet Shop Boys, synth pop has a long, proud tradition of smuggling social commentary inside the fizz.
—Michael Tedder, SPIN, 7 May 2026
The Australian policy of refusing to allow boat arrivals to settle has largely ended people smuggling from Southeast Asian ports in rickety fishing boats that had once thrived.
—ABC News, 6 May 2026
Noun
Their primary recommendations from their evaluation of 2025 include increasing transparency and records disclosures, improving prevention of jail smuggling, and increasing consultation and communication with jail inmates over their conditions.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
He was sentenced to 13½ years in prison for drug smuggling at Chelmsford Crown Court.
—CBS News, 18 May 2026
The politician believed the individuals were representatives of an international drug smuggling cartel.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
The annual loss of billions of dollars in human smuggling fees has forced corporate-sized crime rings in Mexico, known as cartels, to pivot to other means of profit, including fentanyl and other drugs.
—Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2026
Funding is overwhelmingly local and extractive — taxation, ransom, smuggling — which is precisely why these networks are so resilient.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
However, Anthropic claimed Chinese companies continue finding ways to access advanced computing through overseas infrastructure, smuggling operations, and loopholes in current restrictions.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
That exchange and more than a dozen others landed in court records alleging Zheng, Kelly, and a third co-conspirator, Tommy Shad English, 53, of Atlanta, conspired to commit smuggling and export control violations in March 2026.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 May 2026
As state enforcement weakens on both sides of the border, the cross-border fuel and narcotics smuggling networks that Baloch militants tax and target are likely to expand further.
—Amira Jadoon, The Conversation, 13 May 2026
Verb
So yes, one very important achievement is that Hamas cannot really strengthen itself militarily, because Israel controls the Philadelphi Corridor, which prevents Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Last week, Bryant said investigators arrested Officer Javian Quintrell Blake, accusing him of buying phones and cigarettes and smuggling them into the jail for payment.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Is smuggling ants worth the risk?
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2026
In June 2025, Ukraine conducted Operation Spiderweb smuggling low-cost FPV drones into Russia inside containers and using them to strike strategic bombers worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars each.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
During this period, Vale was charged, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to about five years in prison for smuggling Cuban migrants into the United States.
—Jay Weaver
may 14, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
Super Micro tanked earlier this year after employees were charged with smuggling Nvidia chips into the country.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 May 2026
From Scritti Politti to Pet Shop Boys, synth pop has a long, proud tradition of smuggling social commentary inside the fizz.
—Michael Tedder, SPIN, 7 May 2026
The Australian policy of refusing to allow boat arrivals to settle has largely ended people smuggling from Southeast Asian ports in rickety fishing boats that had once thrived.
—ABC News, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smuggling
Noun
-
Viola recommends boiling, poaching, or low-heat scrambling your eggs to preserve their micronutrients.—
Mykenna Maniece,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
-
Their number continues to decline due poaching and habitat loss.—
Harriet Ramos
May 7,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
In addition to his clairvoyant recruitment of head coach Eric Roy, who had not coached a club for more than 11 years before his appointment by Brest, Lorenzi enjoyed success at Stade Francis Le Ble by picking up players on the cheap and selling them on at significant profit.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.—
Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Suing Internet users a bad option Record labels seeking to stamp out piracy might try suing individuals instead of the broadband companies those individuals subscribe to.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
-
Atlantic piracy had reached its peak, blockading the port of Charleston and choking off trade routes from the Caribbean to Long Island.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The investigation allegedly identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in Stamford and other areas in the region, authorities said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
This summer, Papa Johns will be bottling and distributing its Special Garlic Dipping Sauce to grocery and retail stores nationwide, the company announced in a May 13 news release shared with USA TODAY.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The case of Sherri Papini, the young woman who shocked the nation with a multi-year kidnapping hoax, has been the subject of multiple documentaries since her conviction in 2022.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Federal authorities describe TdA as a sprawling transnational organization involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and killings across Latin America and increasingly inside the United States.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Police charged Wood with trafficking cocaine and distribution of a Class B drug (subsequent offense).—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
-
Americans are responding in a number of ways to these price increases, including a shift back to Big Box stores, eating out less and trafficking an increasing number of Dollar Stores (the modern day version of five and dimes with a higher price point).—
Dawn Thilmany,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
In the northwest, criminal banditry has taken root in areas where state presence is thin.—
Yusuf Tuggar,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
In parts of the country, violent attacks, kidnappings and banditry shadow daily life.—
Vanessa Offiong,
CNN Money,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
From the anti-Trump side, meanwhile, the American people hear a nervous rustling of vague doubts.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
-
In the teaser, above, Joanna, 47, can be seen speaking on-camera discussing the plans for the construction of the home on the balcony before a rustling can be heard coming from the woods behind her.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smuggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smuggling. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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