thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟her-ˈbī How to pronounce thereby (audio)
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 taleWilliam Shakespeare

Examples of thereby in a Sentence

He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Such systems allow furnaces to operate closer to their optimal temperatures, cut waste, and extend asset life, thereby creating opportunities for emissions savings (assuming production levels remain constant). Ankit Mishra, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025 That’s what happened last year when Democrat Adam Schiff indirectly helped Republican Steve Garvey place second in the U.S. Senate primary, thereby foregoing a general election duel with Porter. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025 The Heat had been involved with resale of used team gear for charitable purposes, including such a sales booth in past years at the team’s annual Family Festival hosted by Pat Riley, Micky Arison and their families, thereby also putting such mementoes legally into circulation. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025 Kennedy also helped promote beliefs that many childless adults on Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income people, don’t work and thereby drain resources from the program. Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thereby

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of thereby was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Thereby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thereby. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

thereby

adverb
there·​by t͟ha(ə)r-ˈbī How to pronounce thereby (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on thereby

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!