- present participle of traffic.
trafficking
Americannoun
-
the practice of dealing or trading in a commodity or service, often an illegal one.
drug trafficking.
Etymology
Origin of trafficking
First recorded in 1530–40; traffic ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. )
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.
During the trial it emerged that the trafficking ring had submitted false information when applying for the infants' birth certificates and family cards.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Siebel Newsom was there to watch Newsom sign an executive order that was driven by her work as an advocate for survivors of trafficking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Local police superintendent ANM Sajedur Rahman said authorities lacked the resources to dismantle trafficking networks.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
He has a well-documented history of trafficking in conspiracy theories himself, which made his ambiguous invocation of federal involvement a kind of implicit validation to conspiracy theorists that there might be more to the story.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
In light of new evidence, Matthias Benedik Helvar is granted full and immediate pardon for all charges of slave trafficking.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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.
