as in thieves
a person who illegally enters a building in order to steal things; a person who commits burglary
The burglar had broken into several homes in the neighborhood.
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Recent Examples of burglars
In one recent case, burglars entered a home through a second-story balcony and stole cash and valuables, according to police.
—
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The burglars were seen on surveillance video.
—Desiree Evans, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
That incident came after authorities said burglars got away with high-value items such as jewelry and cash Saturday night at a home in Toluca Lake.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Residents came home and caught the burglars halfway through the robbery, and one suffered minor injuries trying to confront the burglar, ABC7 reported.
—City News Service, Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
The Lucky Supermarket in Montclair was targeted twice in three days this week by pre-dawn burglars, who used a vehicle to smash through an entrance before taking merchandise in one break-in and some cash from an ATM in the other, authorities said.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024
Initially reveling in his newfound freedom, Kevin soon faces a pair of bumbling burglars and devises elaborate traps to protect his home.
—John Dealbreuin Wealth Of Geeks, Boston Herald, 26 Dec. 2024
Kevin must then reconcile with being left behind, while also defending his home from burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
—Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
What ensues is a hilarious comedy of events as the 8-year-old not only learns to take care of himself at home but sets up the most elaborate traps to keep the would-be burglars at bay.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The burglars were seen on surveillance video.
—Desiree Evans, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
That incident came after authorities said burglars got away with high-value items such as jewelry and cash Saturday night at a home in Toluca Lake.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Residents came home and caught the burglars halfway through the robbery, and one suffered minor injuries trying to confront the burglar, ABC7 reported.
—City News Service, Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
The Lucky Supermarket in Montclair was targeted twice in three days this week by pre-dawn burglars, who used a vehicle to smash through an entrance before taking merchandise in one break-in and some cash from an ATM in the other, authorities said.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024
Initially reveling in his newfound freedom, Kevin soon faces a pair of bumbling burglars and devises elaborate traps to protect his home.
—John Dealbreuin Wealth Of Geeks, Boston Herald, 26 Dec. 2024
Kevin must then reconcile with being left behind, while also defending his home from burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
—Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
What ensues is a hilarious comedy of events as the 8-year-old not only learns to take care of himself at home but sets up the most elaborate traps to keep the would-be burglars at bay.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burglars
Noun
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The grandkids — cousins, and thick as thieves — love running around indoors and out.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
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The owners of a beloved Monrovia burger joint are asking for help after thieves broke into their home and stole their entire life savings of $140,000.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But as the crisis hurtles towards breaking point, the story rewinds, with viewers pulled inside the bank to relive the same events through the eyes of the robbers and their hostages.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
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Yet key dramatic moments—a shooting, the robbers’ realization that the bank vault is empty—occurred in a hallway invisible to the audience, described secondhand.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burglars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burglars. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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