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
William ShakespeareExamples of thereby in a Sentence
He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.
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The 2015 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act facilitated information sharing between the government and the private sector, thereby protecting companies from the legal risks associated with sharing sensitive data.
—PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025
Visible operations—from stealth fighters and amphibious assault ships to transport aircraft—serve both as a deterrent and preparation for potential intervention, thereby heightening regional stakes.
—John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The mass deployment of technologies that these minerals make possible—fleets of electric cars; flocks of wind turbines; a cleaner energy grid—may be imperative if our society is to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and thereby avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.
—Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Instead of her being forced to leave it there (and Alex eventually stumbling across it), Sophi could have taken the box — thereby either denying Alex ever getting his idol, or perhaps even then later sneaking off and using the key to get the idol herself.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
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PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025
Visible operations—from stealth fighters and amphibious assault ships to transport aircraft—serve both as a deterrent and preparation for potential intervention, thereby heightening regional stakes.
—John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The mass deployment of technologies that these minerals make possible—fleets of electric cars; flocks of wind turbines; a cleaner energy grid—may be imperative if our society is to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and thereby avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.
—Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Instead of her being forced to leave it there (and Alex eventually stumbling across it), Sophi could have taken the box — thereby either denying Alex ever getting his idol, or perhaps even then later sneaking off and using the key to get the idol herself.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thereby
Cite this Entry
“Thereby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thereby. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thereby
adverb
there·by
t͟ha(ə)r-ˈbī 
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
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