burglary

noun

bur·glary | \ ˈbər-glə-rē also -gə-lə-rē also -gəl-rē

plural burglaries

Definition of burglary

: the act of breaking and entering a dwelling at night to commit a felony (such as theft) broadly : the entering of a building with the intent to commit a crime

Other Words from burglary Example Sentences Learn More about burglary

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Examples of burglary in a Sentence

There have been a number of burglaries in the neighborhood in recent months. He has been charged with attempted burglary.

Recent Examples on the Web

King of Thieves, which also stars Jim Broadbent and Sir Michael Gambon, tells the story of the biggest burglary in British history. — Megan Friedman, Town & Country, "Prince Philip Made a Surprise Visit to a Film Set—But Didn’t Want to Meet Any of the Stars," 7 Sep. 2018 Police then learned of the seven other burglaries on the 8300 to 8500 blocks of Clynderven Road and the 8500 block of Walredon Avenue. — Kimberly Fornek, chicagotribune.com, "Police blotter: Burr Ridge officers follow suspects in eight car burglaries onto I-55 before losing them," 14 July 2018 He was arrested after authorities interviewed him and had evidence linking him to the burglary. — Danielle Garrand, CBS News, "Burglar breaks into escape room business, calls 911 when he can't get out, owner says," 12 July 2018 The burglary was on the 1000 block of Claim Street, only a few blocks away from the auto shop, Ferrelli said. — Megan Jones, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora police vehicle crashes into auto shop while responding to burglary," 9 July 2018 According to the affidavit, Belcher confessed to opening the F-350’s doors and going inside the truck, while Forbes denied any involvement in the burglary. — Jeff Weiner, OrlandoSentinel.com, "While towing suspected burglar's car, deputies make a back-seat discovery: a baby alligator," 9 July 2018 During one of the burglaries at 2928 Main St. on May 31, the suspect was caught on surveillance video. — Kathleen Mcwilliams, courant.com, "Glastonbury Police Seek Suspect In Medical Office Burglaries," 2 July 2018 San Diego County sheriff's investigators are asking for the public’s help to identify and locate suspects connected to the burglary of an elderly person's Escondido home. — City News Service, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Sketch released of suspect wanted in Escondido burglary," 28 June 2018 The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has released images of two suspects believed to have been inside Newton’s home during the second burglary. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Wayne Newton Speaks Out After His Home Gets Burglarized Twice in 10 Days: 'I'm Angry as One Could Imagine'," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'burglary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for burglary

burglary

noun

English Language Learners Definition of burglary

: the act of illegally entering a building in order to steal things

See the full definition for burglary in the English Language Learners Dictionary

burglary

noun

bur·glary | \ ˈbər-glə-rē

plural burglaries

Kids Definition of burglary

: the act of breaking into a building especially at night with the intent to commit a crime (as theft)

burglary

noun

bur·glary | \ ˈbər-glə-rē

plural burglaries

Legal Definition of burglary

: the act of breaking and entering an inhabited structure (as a house) especially at night with intent to commit a felony (as murder or larceny) also : the act of entering or remaining unlawfully (as after closing to the public) in a building with intent to commit a crime (as a felony)

Note: The crime of burglary was originally defined under the common law to protect people, since there were other laws (as those defining larceny and trespass) that protected property. State laws have broadened the common-law crime. Entering at night is often no longer required and may be considered an aggravating factor. The building may be something other than a dwelling, such as a store or pharmacy. Some states (as Louisiana) have included vehicles under their burglary statute. There are degrees of burglary, and some of the usual aggravating factors are the presence of people and use of a deadly weapon.