black-mar·ket
ˈblak-ˈmär-kət 
black-marketed; black-marketing; black-markets
: to buy or sell goods in the black market
: to sell in the black market
: illicit trade in goods or commodities in violation of official regulations
also
: a place where such trade is carried on
Examples of black-market in a Sentence
Noun
The black market in prescription drugs is thriving.
They unloaded the stolen goods on the black market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, 30 July 2024
Plainclothes Hamas authorities have now resorted to extortion, according to merchants interviewed by The Washington Post, seeking a cut from cigarette smuggling and other black-market trade.
—Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 24 July 2024
Dan Snierson, EW.com, 13 June 2024
Some of the firearms were sold on the black market and some were recovered in separate criminal investigations, according to Ciaran McEvoy, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, which is prosecuting the case.
—Nathaniel Percy, The Mercury News, 17 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for black-market 
Verb
Legalization advocates disagree that Amendment 3 would jeopardize public safety, citing media reports that police are finding black-market marijuana laced with the dangerous drug fentanyl.
—Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, 30 July 2024
Plainclothes Hamas authorities have now resorted to extortion, according to merchants interviewed by The Washington Post, seeking a cut from cigarette smuggling and other black-market trade.
—Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 24 July 2024
Noun
What happened in real life: The rising price of oil created a black market for grease, and as noted in a 2008 New York Times article, restaurant grease thefts have spiked; the article opened with the story of a man who stole 300 gallons of grease from a Burger King.
—Dan Snierson, EW.com, 13 June 2024
Some of the firearms were sold on the black market and some were recovered in separate criminal investigations, according to Ciaran McEvoy, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, which is prosecuting the case.
—Nathaniel Percy, The Mercury News, 17 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for black-market
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'black-market.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near black-market
Cite this Entry
“Black-market.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-market. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
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