thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟her-ˈbī 

ˈt͟her-ˌbī

1

: by that : by that means

thereby lost her chance to win

2

: connected with or with reference to that

… thereby hangs a tale …

—William Shakespeare

Examples of thereby in a Sentence

He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.

Recent Examples on the Web

As her desperation grows, Niki takes greater risks, thereby increasingly putting her own children in a conflict of loyalty. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026

In any case, the big twist is not that all but KC and Titi chose to stand behind Kayda and Zach, thereby dumping Corbin and Parmida. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 6 July 2026

My favorite Panini story from this World Cup is that of a kid who apparently stuck a one-of-one Julián Álvarez in their book, thereby negating almost all of its value. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 30 June 2026

In 2023, the New Mexico Supreme Court struck down this misguided rule, thereby restoring the public’s stream-access rights enshrined in the state constitution. — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing thereby

• thereby hangs a tale

Rhymes for thereby

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟ha(ə)r-ˈbī 

t͟he(ə)r-;

ˈt͟ha(ə)r-ˌbī, 

ˈt͟he(ə)r-

1

: by that : by that means

thereby lost her chance to win

2

: connected with or with reference to that

thereby hangs a tale