1. Goods that are prohibited by law from being imported, exported, or traded; smuggled merchandise.
Usage: Usually plural or used as a mass noun; Common in legal and trade contexts
2. During the American Civil War, enslaved people who escaped to Union lines and were treated as contraband of war rather than returned to their owners.
Usage: Historical; Refers to a specific group of people during the Civil War era

Examples

• The customs agents discovered contrabands hidden in the shipping containers.
• Smugglers were arrested for attempting to transport contrabands across the border.
• The port authority seized several tons of contrabands including illegal weapons and drugs.
• During the Civil War, thousands of contrabands sought refuge behind Union army lines.
• International trade agreements aim to prevent the movement of contrabands between nations.