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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.

On Jan. 10, the El Segundo Police Department responded to a home burglary near California Street and East Sycamore Avenue, according to a police department news release.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

An investigation into a home burglary in El Segundo led to police uncovering a theft ring and recovering more than $6 million in stolen luxury goods including handbags and watches in Riverside County, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

French daily Le Monde said the departure of des Cars became "inevitable" following the burglary as well as trade union strikes pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the museum.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

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 • Feb. 18, 2026

There was the occasional burglary, the teenagers got rowdy once in a while, and there was some shouting at the town council or the planning board now and then.

From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements

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.