by virtue of

phrase

variants or in virtue of

: through the force of : by authority of

She has the right to participate by virtue of her status as a former employee.

Examples of by virtue of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its heroes gave up their lives, and by virtue of their legacies continue to shape the nation today. — Ken Makin, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Nov. 2026

The Panthers reached the NCAA Tournament last March by virtue of winning the Southeast Athletic Conference Tournament, then won their First Four game before losing to Florida. — ABC News, 13 Nov. 2026

And Ship 42 itself is connected to the beloved book, by virtue of its serial number. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 Nov. 2026

If Wesleyan wins, and Amherst loses, the Cardinals would get in by virtue of a head-to-head win. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 12 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for by virtue of

• hereinabove
• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove