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Synonyms

burglary

American  
[bur-gluh-ree] / ˈbɜr glə ri /

noun

Criminal Law.

plural

burglaries

  1. the felony of breaking into and entering the house of another at night with intent to steal, extended by statute to cover the breaking into and entering of any of various buildings, by night or day.

burglary British  
/ bɜːˈɡlɛərɪəs, ˈbɜːɡlərɪ /

noun

  1. English criminal law the crime of either entering a building as a trespasser with the intention of committing theft, rape, grievous bodily harm, or damage, or, having entered as a trespasser, of committing one or more of these offences

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • antiburglary adjective
  • burglarious adjective

Etymology

Origin of burglary

1150–1200; Middle English < Anglo-French burglarie; burglar, -y 3

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.

The Anaheim burglary is the latest in a wave of Pokémon card thefts sweeping Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times

Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said aggravated burglary charges against 18 other defendants who are accused of taking part in the break-in will be dropped.

From BBC

On Monday, officers responded to a reported burglary in the 2500 block of Pacific Avenue, according to a Long Beach Police Department news release.

From Los Angeles Times

The Met Police has appealed for witnesses over the burglary which it said happened at about 10:30 GMT on Saturday.

From BBC

The Sun quoted a source close to the couple who said they had been left devastated by the burglary.

From BBC

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.