thereby
Americanadverb
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by that; by means of that.
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in that connection or relation.
Thereby hangs a tale.
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by or near that place.
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Scot. about that number, quantity, or degree.
adverb
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by that means; because of that
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archaic by or near that place; thereabouts
Etymology
Origin of thereby
before 900; Middle English therby, Old English thǣrbī. See there, by
Explanation
The adverb thereby shows cause and effect: "She forgot to tie her shoes, thereby tripping and falling down the stairs." Use thereby to connect two events: because of A, B happened: "Matt walked around with the frying pan on his head, thereby causing him to walk into a wall." Thereby is used in the infamous saying, written by Shakespeare: "And thereby hangs a tale" — a humorous way to let your listeners know they are about to hear an extremely long explanation as to why something happened.
Vocabulary lists containing thereby
Beowulf vocabulary
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5.7: Consequences of Industrialization (Sources 1–7)
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Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos
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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.
The total amount of permitted recharge on a lap has been reduced from 8MJ to 7MJ - thereby reducing the amount of energy needed to be recovered and therefore the amount of time doing so.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
"Either way, Congress will thereby retain its authority over the nation's property and its oversight over the Government's spending."
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
They also justify his choice to continue the campaign, degrading Iran’s missile and drone infrastructure and thereby its ability to support proxies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
In response, Nvidia has developed weaker versions of its chips to meet export-control requirements, thereby allowing it to sell to Chinese customers.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026
Jefferson noted, somewhat gratuitously, that perhaps in New England vestiges of feudalism remained and thereby misled Adams.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
