black-market
1 of 2verb
black-mar·ket ˈblak-ˈmär-kət 
black-marketed; black-marketing; black-markets
intransitive verb
: to buy or sell goods in the black market
transitive verb
: to sell in the black market
black marketer noun
or black marketeer
ˈblak-ˌmär-kə-ˈtir
black marketeering
ˈblak-ˌmär-kə-ˈtir-iŋ
noun black market
2 of 2noun
: illicit trade in goods or commodities in violation of official regulations
also : a place where such trade is carried on
Example Sentences
Noun The black market in prescription drugs is thriving. They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mitch Koss, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 Our state was losing out to our neighbors and the black market. John Laidler, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2022 Many companies in the legal industry regularly divert product into the black market, and vice-versa. Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 But there’s not much finger-pointing at the museums and collectors that — inadvertently or not — fueled that black market. New York Times, 17 July 2022 Irate Kenyans have taken to social media to vent their anger over reports that government tablets meant for grade one pupils have been spotted on sale in Uganda’s black market. Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 12 July 2022 Andrei is convinced that Russia will win the war in a year or so, prices will fall and Apple products will find their way to Russia via the black market. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 5 June 2022 Gasoline was scarce and expensive; Russian soldiers and speculators moved to corner the black market, selling cannisters of fuel by the side of the road. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022 Nine people were arrested by state wildlife police on suspicion of poaching, selling animals on the black market and other offenses after a sprawling investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigation, the agency said. Christian Martinezstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2022 See More
Noun
California’s recreational cannabis program was created, in part, to curb the black market and weaken drug cartels’ stranglehold on the crop. Mitch Koss, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 Our state was losing out to our neighbors and the black market. John Laidler, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2022 Many companies in the legal industry regularly divert product into the black market, and vice-versa. Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 But there’s not much finger-pointing at the museums and collectors that — inadvertently or not — fueled that black market. New York Times, 17 July 2022 Irate Kenyans have taken to social media to vent their anger over reports that government tablets meant for grade one pupils have been spotted on sale in Uganda’s black market. Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 12 July 2022 Andrei is convinced that Russia will win the war in a year or so, prices will fall and Apple products will find their way to Russia via the black market. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 5 June 2022 Gasoline was scarce and expensive; Russian soldiers and speculators moved to corner the black market, selling cannisters of fuel by the side of the road. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022 Nine people were arrested by state wildlife police on suspicion of poaching, selling animals on the black market and other offenses after a sprawling investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigation, the agency said. Christian Martinezstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Verb
1727, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun
1931, in the meaning defined above
black marketeering
noun
as in smuggling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- smuggling
- poaching
- petit larceny
- rustling
- piracy
- petty larceny
- looting
- kidnapping
- abduction
- hijacking
- plundering
- banditry
- rapine
- carjacking
- spoliation
- despoliation
- shoplifting
- highjacking
- pillage
- despoilment
- shanghaiing
- kidnaping
- burglary
- pilfering
- embezzlement
- pilferage
- robbery
- graft
- filching
- stealing
- purloining
- larceny
- embezzling
- misappropriation
- housebreaking
- misapplication
- peculation
- thievery
- theft