black market 1 of 2

as in trade
a system through which things are bought and sold illegally The black market in prescription drugs is thriving. They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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black-market

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of black market
Noun
On the black market, placards go for as much as twenty-six hundred dollars. Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 Healthcare data is especially valuable on the black market because it can be exploited for long periods without easy detection. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 May 2025
Verb
Complications from black-market silicone can include infection, migration of the silicone from one part of the body to another, chronic pain, disfigurement and, in some cases, death. Charles Trepany, USA Today, 13 May 2025 Under Fidan's direction, Turkey facilitated ISIS' financing operations—including black-market oil and illicit antiquities sales. Sinan Ciddi and Jonathan Schanzer, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for black market
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black market
Noun
  • But Cate mentioned obvious areas of interest such as housing, infrastructure, regulations, taxes and fees, trade and the overall cost of living.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 June 2025
  • German Marquez leads trade parade; hands off Ezequiel Tovar, Hunter Goodman Grading The Week: Shedeur Sanders needs to slow down.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Precision weapons were also smuggled in and used to target surface-to-air missile systems, clearing the way for Israel’s Air Force to carry out more than 100 strikes with upward of 200 aircraft in the early hours of Friday local time.
    Leila Gharagrozlou, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
  • Israel has launched blistering attacks on the heart of Iran’s nuclear and military structure, deploying warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to assault key facilities and kill top generals.
    Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • You shouldn’t be worried as long as the filler is FDA-approved, purchased from a legitimate source (not gray market) and injected by a qualified professional.
    Carlos Wolf, Miami Herald, 19 June 2025
  • The city is moving aggressively to shut down the once-thriving gray market — a matter of public safety, and also essential for the legal medical cannabis industry to thrive.
    Anna Spiegel, Axios, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The day before the president’s birthday, the girl and her grandmother head to town with a shopping list of cake ingredients and Lamia’s book bag packed with an assortment of items to sell or barter.
    Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
  • Malarkey said the new version of the show will have the same format as in the past, with the host devising tasks and bartering deals with competitors.
    Pamela Kragen, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • In line with last year, online is the most popular shopping destination at 41%, followed by department stores, discount stores, specialty stores and local/small businesses.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 13 June 2025
  • His stable of businesses even includes the company Snoop Doggie Doggs, which includes apparel, food bowls, toys, and other products.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • In 1920s Anaheim, the big local issue was bootlegging and Catholics, who were seen as foreigners in what was supposed to be an Anglo-Saxon Protestant country.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2025
  • In Chicago, as in other major cities, a few high-profile mobsters battled it out for bootlegging supremacy.
    Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • By reducing the risks associated with independent work, more individuals may be encouraged to offer their skills in the marketplace, leading to a more dynamic and flexible labor force as well as a more innovative and competitive Florida economy.
    David Santiago, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
  • The point of this exercise was to see where Montreal fits in the marketplace.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • After a dance and a kiss and freighted promises are exchanged, Lucy receives a call from Sophie that Mark is now stalking her outside her apartment.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 June 2025
  • Energy supplies did not end up in the cross hairs last year when Israel and Iran exchanged missile barrages, according to Citi.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Black market.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black%20market. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

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