smuggler

noun

smug·gler ˈsmə-glər

plural smugglers

Synonyms of smuggler

: 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.

Sanchez said that the ruling had been intentionally misconstrued by migrant smugglers to convince thousands of people to cross by swimming around the border fence. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 Spanish officials said smugglers may have exploited the court ruling. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 31 July 2026 After helping rescue a small group of ploughshares confiscated from smugglers, Goode and the Turtle Conservancy became the first to successfully breed the species outside of Madagascar. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026 But when smugglers opened the door, a man fell out, so the smugglers closed the door and fled. — Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 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

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

smuggleable

smuggler

smugly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Smuggler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smuggler. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

smuggler

noun

Synonyms of smuggler

Examples of smuggler in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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