English Reference
Noun

smuggler

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈsməɡəɫɝ/ UK /smˈʌɡlɐ/ smug·gler UK spelling smugglers

n.a person who illegally brings goods into or out of a country. They usually do this to avoid paying taxes or to hide something from the law.

n.a person who illegally transports goods across a border or within a country. Often used in the context of illicit trade or the evasion of customs regulations.


SIMPLE

The smuggler hid the goods in a large container.

CONTEXTUAL

Customs officials arrested a smuggler who was trying to bring rare artifacts into the country without a permit.

COMPLEX

Historical accounts often depict the smuggler as a complex figure, simultaneously a criminal who evades the state and a vital link in the local economy during times of high taxation.

With less equipment available, people smugglers have resorted to using bigger boats.

BBC News· 20 Aug 2026

Smugglers are meeting the demand of a booming black market.

The New York Times· 27 Aug 2026

From smuggle + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated