smuggler

noun

smug·​gler ˈsmə-glər How to pronounce smuggler (audio)
plural smugglers
: 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.
Smuggling recipe substitutions News reports and analysis show that smugglers chose a range of fruits and vegetables to move drugs. Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 July 2025 Most of these smugglers charge around $5,000 and offer a trip from an airport in Montreal or Toronto to a remote part of the border. Kristin Tate, Boston Herald, 24 June 2025 Conservative border hawks have long blamed Flores for the rise in family migration, pointing out that smugglers often exploit the agreement’s 20-day detention limit for children to secure quick release for entire families. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 23 May 2025 In the Sahara, a smuggler, a paleoanthropologist, and a man on a rescue mission cross paths. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025 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 21 Jul. 2025.

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