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Definition of burglary
burglaries
: 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
burglariously
adverbPeople Are Reading
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 of burglary from the Web
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Nearly twice the number of car burglaries were reported last month in Glenview than in the previous June, and there have been more vehicle break-ins reported so far this summer than in the same time period last year, according to police.
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Ross said his insurance company has talked about increasing premiums for motorbike dealerships in the wake of recent burglaries.
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Police charged 27-year-old Sergio Williams of Midland City with 3rd degree burglary and 2nd degree arson on Monday.
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Sunny’s theft comes on the heels of a high-profile cat burglary at the shelter in April.
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Possible charges include burglary, property damage and three seconds in the key.
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Often the most frequently reported are alcohol/drug violations, theft and burglaries.
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Weber has been in the Clermont County Jail since June 10 on charges of burglary and possessing drug abuse instruments, deputies said.
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Michael Bush, 14, Joshua Sargeant, 14, Rural Scott, 15, Walter Walker, 16, Shomari Smith, 14 and Jeremiah Laplace, 15, were arrested on charges including armed burglary and grand theft.
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.
First Known Use of burglary
circa 1523
Other Legal Terms
BURGLARY Defined for English Language Learners
burglary
playDefinition of burglary for English Language Learners
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: the act of illegally entering a building in order to steal things
BURGLARY Defined for Kids
burglary
playDefinition of burglary for Students
burglaries
: the act of breaking into a building especially at night with the intent to commit a crime (as theft)
Law Dictionary
burglary
playLegal Definition of burglary
burglaries
: 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)
Additional Notes on burglary
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.
Origin and Etymology of burglary
Anglo-French burglarie, modification of Medieval Latin burgaria, from burgare to break into (a house)
Learn More about burglary
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Spanish Central: Translation of burglary Nglish: Translation of burglary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of burglary for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about burglary
Seen and Heard
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