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.
With no one willing to help, Lucy became involved with local drug smuggler Shane Maguire (Wilson Bethel). Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 29 July 2025 Humanitarian groups have expressed concern that smugglers will attempt to guide more migrants through even riskier routes to evade being caught by the Border Patrol. Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025 Now, says Army Gen. Juan Carlos Correa, the criminals are using drones to monitor their drug crops and cocaine laboratories, target rival smugglers, and ambush police and army troops. John Otis, NPR, 16 July 2025 Cocaine can be dumped into the water to evade detection from law enforcement or to be picked up by other smugglers, but currents or storms can carry the packages to shore. July 1, CBS News, 1 July 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 7 Aug. 2025.

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