thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟her-ˈbī 

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

This is particularly true for military and police personnel, who may refuse to fire on their own people, thereby creating a wedge between the regime and its instruments of force. —Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026

Officials said Todorovich will be working with Penick, Margolies and Paolo Riva, the chief buying officer, thereby covering all Saks Global retail banners and selling channels. —David Moin, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026

Being proactive about connecting with business owners and contractors outside of the chamber may open the door for others to join, thereby widening your network. —R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026

These high-temperature alloy components are sourced via just a handful of suppliers globally, thereby reducing capacity and increasing lead times. —CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing thereby

• thereby hangs a tale

Rhymes for thereby

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids 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