smuggled

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'smuggled' is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is usually used to describe the illegal transportation of goods or people across borders. Example: The police discovered a large quantity of drugs that had been smuggled into the country through a hidden compartment in the truck.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Middleton – unlike Hyde in 1660 – will certainly not have to be smuggled into the palace for a secret midnight marriage and won't face accusations that she has slept with half the court.

The Guardian

Finally I smuggled myself to Lebanon to register with the UN, but I don't feel safe in Lebanon either because I do not have a legal residency.

The Guardian

The particular information in the Daily Telegraph's story was smuggled to London on microfilm hidden inside a key".

The Guardian

"You are hereby invited to watch me face the firing squad," Pasternak is supposed to have said when he handed over his manuscript to be smuggled out of Russia.

The Guardian - Books

28 February: Thirteen activists are killed when Conroy is safely smuggled out of Homs.

The Guardian

Kirby said an increasing number of Chinese mobile phones, which can connect to internet (not just North Korea's intranet) and thus the outside world, are being smuggled into North Korea, which means it could be possible that North Koreans manage to read some of the report's findings.

The Guardian

When she was released, she was smuggled to Lebanon to rejoin her children, who had fled there while she was in prison.

The Guardian

Most pay substantial amounts of money to be smuggled across Malaysia and Indonesia before being put on boats to Australia.

The Guardian

Plus, watch the story of Hien, who was smuggled from Vietnam to the UK when he was 10 years old.

The Guardian

We then smuggled him past them in the back of our car.

The Guardian

The photographs were part of a cache of 55,000 smuggled out of Syria on flash drives last year by "Caesar", the code name given to a former Syrian military photographer who defected.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the word "smuggled", ensure that the context clearly indicates what was transported illegally and the method or route used, if relevant. For example: "The diamonds were smuggled across the border in a shipment of coffee beans."

Common error

Avoid using "smuggled" in contexts where the action might be legal or ambiguous. Always ensure the action genuinely violates laws or regulations. For example, don't say "The documents were smuggled out of the office" if there was no explicit prohibition against removing them.

Linguistic Context

The word "smuggled" functions primarily as a verb, specifically the past tense and past participle of the verb 'smuggle'. It describes the action of illegally importing or exporting goods or people, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "smuggled" is the past tense and past participle form of 'smuggle', which means to illegally import or export goods or people. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in news, business, and scientific contexts. It's crucial to ensure its usage aligns with genuine violations of laws and to distinguish it from similar terms like "trafficked", which carries a stronger connotation of exploitation. Using "smuggled" correctly enhances clarity and precision in writing about illegal activities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

illegally transported

Focuses on the illegal aspect of the transport, emphasizing the violation of laws.

secretly conveyed

Highlights the secrecy and covert nature of the transportation.

clandestinely imported

Specifically refers to importing something in a clandestine manner.

covertly trafficked

Emphasizes the trafficking aspect, often associated with illegal goods or people.

furtively brought in

Highlights the stealthy and secretive manner of bringing something in.

unlawfully imported

Similar to 'illegally transported', but emphasizes the unlawful nature of the import.

surreptitiously moved

Focuses on the stealth and lack of visibility in the movement.

secreted across the border

Highlights the act of hiding something while moving it across a border.

snuck into

This is a more informal term suggesting a quick and stealthy movement into a place.

bootlegged

Often used specifically for alcohol or other prohibited goods.

FAQs

How is "smuggled" typically used in a sentence?

The word "smuggled" is used to describe the action of illegally importing or exporting goods or people, often across borders and in a secretive manner. For instance, "The refugees were "illegally transported" across the border".

What are some alternatives to using "smuggled"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "illegally transported", "secretly conveyed", or "clandestinely imported".

Is it correct to say something was "smuggled legally"?

No, that would be a contradiction. "Smuggled" implies an illegal action, so using it with "legally" creates an oxymoron. Use a different word like "transported" or "carried" if the action was within the law.

What's the difference between "smuggled" and "trafficked"?

"Smuggled" generally refers to the illegal transportation of goods or people, whereas "trafficked" often implies exploitation and forced movement, especially of humans for labor or sexual exploitation. "Trafficked" carries a stronger connotation of human rights abuse.