burglary
Americannoun
-
burglaries
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of burglary
1150–1200; Middle English < Anglo-French burglarie; see burglar, -y 3
Explanation
A burglary is committed when a person breaks into a building with the intent of committing a crime, especially if the crime is to steal valuable items. What's the difference between burglary and robbery? In a burglary, the criminal has to enter the building or structure illegally (breaking and entering), and the victim of the theft is unlikely to have contact with the burglar — or to even know about the theft until after the burglar is gone. In a robbery, however, a victim has to be present, and the criminal commits the crime by using violence or threatening the victim with violence.
Vocabulary lists containing burglary
List 3
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Crime and Punishment
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List 8
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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.
See Examples For:
Stephen Cloobeck — a one-time California gubernatorial candidate ensconced in Democratic political circles — pleaded not guilty to witness tampering charges Friday related to a burglary case against his former paramour, OnlyFans model Adva Lavie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
A police spokesperson said patrols had been sent to the home of the alleged victim of the burglary to ensure her safety until he is found.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Stephen Grzyb, 22, was being transported by contractor GEOAmey from Belle Vale custody suite to Liverpool Magistrates' Court to face burglary charges on Saturday.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Domenick Yazzolino, reported that authorities got a call about a burglary and found Forbes inside a yacht that didn’t belong to her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
“It wasn’t a normal burglary that night, was it?”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
The reports range from brazen burglaries to visitors nervous about a bear wandering by.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Dallas Cowboys player Linval Joseph and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis were also targeted in different burglaries.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
No links have been determined among the burglaries, but their proximity and the short time span between the incidents have sparked concern among city officials.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
Bass and McDonnell said they hoped the increased police presence would curb burglaries and result in arrests, but they also stressed that burglaries in the area were down for the year overall.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
I could hear them talking about all the burglaries in the neighborhood.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
