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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• antiburglary
  adjective
• burglarious
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Anyone with information is asked to contact Central Burglary Det.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2025

"Burglary victims would have needed to use their gun defensively in more than 100% of cases, which is, of course, impossible," the issue brief reads.

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2024

The Lib Dems are calling for a "Burglary Response Guarantee", under which all domestic burglaries would be attended by police and properly investigated.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2023

Former Post reporter Betty Medsger, who broke the initial stories, revealed the burglars’ identities and the context of their case in her 2014 book, “The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover’s Secret FBI.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 1, 2021

I didn't catch the name - oh, yes - President Blake of the Standard Burglary Insurance Company.

From The Poisoned Pen by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

Related Words

• break in
• crime
• heist
• larceny
• robbery
• theft