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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as in to smuggle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of black market
Jessica Wang, EW.com, 6 Jan. 2025
These animals are killed for their parts — their horns and tusks and claws and bones — which are then sold on the global black market.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 29 Jan. 2025
Danny Horn, EW.com, 29 Dec. 2024
Ralph Fiennes plays a black-market dealer of SQUIDS — devices that tap into a wearer’s cerebral cortex and fully capture their experiences so others can relive them.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for black market 
Noun
The Substance, about a fading star who turns to a black market drug to retain her youth.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 6 Jan. 2025
These animals are killed for their parts — their horns and tusks and claws and bones — which are then sold on the global black market.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
Many will recognize him as a big-dino hunter in The Lost World (1997), a German nihilist in The Big Lebowski, a diabolical black-market eye surgeon in Minority Report (2002), or the devil himself in Constantine (2005).
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 29 Dec. 2024
Ralph Fiennes plays a black-market dealer of SQUIDS — devices that tap into a wearer’s cerebral cortex and fully capture their experiences so others can relive them.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for black market
Recent Examples of Synonyms for black market
Noun
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The greater mystery now is how much — or how little — the 49ers can fetch in return for Samuel, who didn’t generate enough of a market in 2022 or again last March to garner a trade.—
Cam Inman,
The Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2025
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The Los Angeles Lakers rescinded their trade deadline deal for big man Mark Williams on Saturday night in a surprising turn of events.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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And of the many unlicensed home care aides who work in gray market, many are immigrants, including many who are undocumented.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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There are also active gray markets on Chinese apps and e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia, where popular and rare dolls sell at several times their original prices.—
Lionel Lim,
Fortune Asia,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The intrigue: Women, who comprise half of NFL fans, are more likely (51%) than men (46%) to barter away their future romantic happiness for a championship parade, the survey found. 💭 Our thought bubble: Very many Austinites — maybe a majority?—
Isaac Avilucea,
Axios,
7 Feb. 2025
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Stunning stat: Women, who comprise half of NFL fans, are more likely (51%) than men (46%) to barter away their future romantic happiness for a championship parade, the survey found.—
Shafaq Patel,
Axios,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Tomás Talarico has been named managing director of Warner Music Southern Cone, overseeing the record company’s business in Argentina and Chile.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2025
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Tuesday’s results represent a key test for Super Micro and an opportunity to prove to Wall Street that the company’s business remains solid and that its compliance issues are in the past.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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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
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Living in Woodstock, New York, Dylan spent a lot of time in nearby Saugerties at the Band’s famous Big Pink house, recording dozens of songs that were heavily bootlegged and sometimes sent to other artists to record.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
25 Dec. 2024
Noun
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State Senator Kelly Hancock, who sponsored the state’s 2017 autonomous-driving legislation, said the legislature wanted to promote the industry’s growth in a competitive marketplace and avoid barriers to entry.—
Chris Kirkham and Abhirup Roy,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
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One item on her to-do list: figure out how to expand Karl’s audience, even as the marketplace is awash in alternative beverages: seltzers, kombuchas, boutique spirits, non-alcoholic beers, alcopops and more.—
Peter Rowe,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the summer of 1985, Larry and Valerie exchanged glances across The Parker House bar, but then Larry worked up the courage to walk over and strike up a conversation.—
Lizzie Hyman,
People.com,
14 Feb. 2025
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After exchanging at least one round of gunfire with officers, the suspect drove away.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near black market
Cite this Entry
“Black market.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/black%20market. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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