# smuggle

/ˈsməɡəɫ/ (US) · /smˈʌɡəl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/smuggle
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

to move things or people into or out of a place secretly and illegally. You usually do this to avoid paying taxes or to hide something from the police.

For teachers: to import or export goods or people illicitly, typically in violation of customs regulations or legal prohibitions. Transitive in most contexts, requiring a direct object representing the item or person being moved.

## Examples

- They tried to smuggle expensive watches across the border.
- Customs officers caught a passenger trying to smuggle rare birds into the country inside a hidden suitcase compartment.
- The historical novel details the dangerous routes used to smuggle prohibited literature into the occupied city, highlighting the ingenuity of the underground resistance network.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He smuggled with the goods." but "He smuggled the goods." — Smuggle is a transitive verb; it acts directly on the object and does not require a preposition like 'with' before the noun.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and often takes a prepositional phrase starting with 'into', 'out of', or 'across'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.