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 tale …William 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.
However, over time, when the swollen metallic fuel repeatedly comes into contact with the cladding, the latter degrades and becomes brittle, thereby shortening the reactor’s lifetime. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025 Then, when those charges are due, the loan servicer pays them on the homeowner’s behalf, thereby removing the burden of coming up with that lump sum every year. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 17 Dec. 2025 Naylor’s defense attorneys agreed to that recommendation, according to documents, thereby sparing Naylor the possibility of facing the death penalty. Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 17 Dec. 2025 This unfolded during Dead Man’s Wire‘s narrow, pivotal preparation period, thereby infusing the filmmaking process — since Kiritsis’ bizarre actions similarly resonated with the era’s growing unrest around corporate greed and social inequality. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 16 Dec. 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 23 Dec. 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
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