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Synonyms

contraband

American  
[kon-truh-band] / ˈkɒn trəˌbænd /

noun

  1. anything prohibited by law from being imported or exported.

  2. goods imported or exported illegally.

  3. illegal or prohibited trade; smuggling.

  4. International Law. contraband of war.

  5. (during the American Civil War) an enslaved Black person who escaped to or was brought within the Union lines.

adjective

  1. prohibited from export or import.

contraband British  
/ ˈkɒntrəˌbænd /

noun

    1. goods that are prohibited by law from being exported or imported

    2. illegally imported or exported goods

  2. illegal traffic in such goods; smuggling

  3. Also called: contraband of war.  international law goods that a neutral country may not supply to a belligerent

  4. (during the American Civil War) a Black slave captured by the Union forces or one who escaped to the Union lines

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

    1. forbidden by law from being imported or exported

    2. illegally imported or exported

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
contraband Cultural  

  1. Goods illegally transported across borders to avoid the payment of taxes.

Other Word Forms

  • contrabandist noun
  • noncontraband noun

Etymology

Origin of contraband

First recorded in 1520–30; earlier contrabanda, from Spanish, from Italian contrabando (now contrabbando ), equivalent to contra “against” + Medieval Latin bandum, variant of bannum “edict”; contra 1 ( def. ), ban 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After a visit home, I returned to campus with a stockpile, like a confectionery smuggler crossing state lines with sugary contraband stuffed between sweatshirts in my suitcase.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

According to the ICE website, the HSI investigates global threats, investigating the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of, and through the United States.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

Just ask Ernie, the canine star of an article about dogs trained to sniff out prison contraband.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Women gather on the shores of Bombay's Chowpatty Beach, ready to make contraband salt.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025

Her grapefruit box was packed with contraband these days, all of it from Park.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.