pirated; pirating
1
: to commit piracy on
2
: to take or appropriate by piracy: such as
a
: to reproduce without authorization especially in infringement of copyright
b
: to lure away from another employer by offers of betterment
: to commit or practice piracy
Examples of pirate in a Sentence
Noun
the famous pirate Jean Lafitte
A software pirate made bootleg copies of the computer program.
Verb
He was accused of pirating their invention.
using pirated software that was subject to copyright
Recent Examples on the Web
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The third, Thomas Jefferson, fought the Barbary pirates without a formal declaration.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
In Tel Aviv on Monday, people of all ages wearing sequined suits, bunny ears, pirate costumes and peacock feathers streamed into a mall’s underground parking lot that also functions as a bomb shelter for the traditional reading of the Purim story followed by a live band with dancing.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pirate
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Noun
Once known for its pirate history, the town now serves as a base for rafting, kayaking, and zip-lining above the canyon.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The third, Thomas Jefferson, fought the Barbary pirates without a formal declaration.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
Include flowering plants in your garden to attract beneficials such as lacewings and pirate bugs, which can help keep populations to manageable levels.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
In Tel Aviv on Monday, people of all ages wearing sequined suits, bunny ears, pirate costumes and peacock feathers streamed into a mall’s underground parking lot that also functions as a bomb shelter for the traditional reading of the Purim story followed by a live band with dancing.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Cite this Entry
“Pirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pirate. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pirate
2 of 2 verb
pirated; pirating
: to take by piracy
pirate an invention
Legal Definition
pirate
1 of 2 noun
pi·rate
ˈpī-rət 
: a person who commits piracy
pirate
2 of 2 verb
pirated; pirating
: to take or appropriate by piracy
especially
: to copy, distribute, or use without authorization especially in infringement of copyright
the pirated software
pirating cable signals
: to commit piracy compare bootleg
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