- 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.
Asfura has pledged to deepen his country’s intelligence sharing with the U.S. to fight against cartels and crime organizations steeped in trafficking drugs and migrants.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
Morales, the country's first Indigenous president, is in hiding in his coca-growing stronghold of Chapare to escape charges of trafficking a minor, which he denies.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
Although fishing for totoaba was banned decades ago, illegal harvesting continues due to wildlife trafficking networks and persistent overseas demand.
From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026
Van Zeller, 50, has won dozens of awards for the program that has taken her around the world to report on black market activities and human trafficking.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 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.
