black money

American  

noun

1. income earned surreptitiously or illegally, usually in cash, and not reported to the government so as to avoid paying taxes on it.

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black money British  

noun

1. that part of a nation's income that relates to its black economy

2. any money that a person or organization acquires illegally, as by a means that involves tax evasion

3. money to fund a government project that is concealed in the cost of some other project

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Etymology

Origin of black money

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

black money

Past efforts to attract black money into the light—using tax amnesties, for example—have had little effect.

From Economist ● Dec. 1, 2016

It’s an open secret that much of this is fueled by black money, and it infuriates many Indians.

From Slate ● Nov. 28, 2016

In a country where "black money", or undeclared wealth, is rampant, Sahara's size and spending power have long fuelled speculation over how the company operates.

From Reuters ● Sep. 26, 2012

Corruption has become a part of public life in this country mainly because of a lot of black money going around.

From New York Times ● Oct. 5, 2011

The combination of black money, shoddy financial controls, shady bank accounts and shredded documents renders a true account of the cash flows and damages in such cases all but impossible.

From Crime and Corruption by Vaknin, Samuel