burglarize

American  

[bur-gluh-rahyz] / ˈbɜr gləˌraɪz /

especially British, burglarise

verb (used with object)

burglarized, burglarizing

1. to break into and steal from.

   Thieves burglarized the warehouse.

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verb (used without object)

burglarized, burglarizing

1. to commit burglary.

burglarize British  

/ ˈbɜːɡləˌraɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to break into (a place) and steal from (someone); burgle

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Other Word Forms

• unburglarized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of burglarize

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; burglar + -ize

Explanation

To burglarize is to break into a building or home and steal something from it. Your locked doors and barking dog are likely to stop a bad guy's plan to burglarize your house. In the UK, you'd probably use the verb burgle instead, but in the US burglarize is more common. You're even more likely to simply say "steal" or "rob," but if you need to be specific about the fact that a building was entered illegally during the crime, say burglarize.

Example Sentences

Burglarize This word is often used by the more sensational reporters in their reports of crime.

From Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking by Bechtel, John Hendricks

Related Words

• break into