smuggle

verb

smug·​gle ˈsmə-gəl How to pronounce smuggle (audio)
smuggled; smuggling ˈsmə-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce smuggle (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to import or export secretly contrary to the law and especially without paying duties imposed by law
2
: to convey or introduce surreptitiously

intransitive verb

: to import or export something in violation of the customs laws

Examples of smuggle in a Sentence

He was arrested for smuggling drugs into the country. They smuggled immigrants across the border. The paintings had been smuggled out of the country before the war. We smuggled his favorite sandwich past the nurse.
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.
Beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police Department interviewed several Mexican nationals who alleged that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford, court records show. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 8 Mar. 2025 Most of that fentanyl is then smuggled into the U.S. enters through legal ports of entry, hidden in cargo shipments, stuffed into vehicle compartments, or even carried by individual drug mules. William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025 The Jalisco cartel is better known for producing millions of doses of deadly fentanyl and smuggling them into the U.S. disguised to look like Xanax, Percocet or oxycodone. CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025 The Mexican nationals and a U.S. citizen were caught attempting to smuggle 24 Mexican nationals into the U.S. illegally, authorities said. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for smuggle

Word History

Etymology

Low German smuggeln & Dutch smokkelen

First Known Use

1687, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of smuggle was in 1687

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smuggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smuggle. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

smuggle

verb
smug·​gle ˈsməg-əl How to pronounce smuggle (audio)
smuggled; smuggling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce smuggle (audio)
1
: to export or import secretly and unlawfully especially to avoid paying taxes
smuggle jewels
2
: to take, bring, or introduce secretly
smuggler noun

Legal Definition

smuggle

verb
smug·​gle ˈsmə-gəl How to pronounce smuggle (audio)
smuggled; smuggling

transitive verb

: to import or export secretly and illegally especially to avoid paying duties or to evade enforcement of laws
smuggle drugs
convicted of smuggling weapons

intransitive verb

: to export or import something in violation of customs laws

More from Merriam-Webster on smuggle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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