smuggle

verb

smug·​gle ˈsmə-gəl 

smuggled; smuggling ˈsmə-g(ə-)liŋ 

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

Lamar had it both ways last night, using the Drake candy to smuggle in his thesis on the perils of Black entertainment. —Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

Large shipments of precursor ingredients for illicit fentanyl are sent from China to Mexico, where they are processed in labs and the final product is smuggled over the border into the US. —Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025

To be sure, Republicans absolutely concocted a false moral panic to smuggle their agenda past millions of voters. —Samantha Riedel, Them, 7 Feb. 2025

Without access to Syria, Hezbollah will need to smuggle in shipments via Lebanon’s own docks and airports. —Hanin Ghaddar, Foreign Affairs, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Low German smuggeln & Dutch smokkelen

First Known Use

1687, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

smuggle

verb

smug·​gle ˈsməg-əl 

smuggled; smuggling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to export or import secretly and unlawfully especially to avoid paying taxes

smuggle jewels

2

: to take, bring, or introduce secretly

smuggler

ˈsməg-lər 

noun

Legal Definition

smuggle

verb

smug·​gle ˈsmə-gəl 

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