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
The new season finds Harry and Fergus delving into the worlds of whiskey-making, theatre and musical-tattoos, chasing a gang of middle-aged lady burglars and working to deal with a murder close to home.
—
Anne Easton, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The burglars used my pillowcases to haul off heirloom jewelry.
—Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
Cellphone jammers are sometimes sold illegally and used by car thieves and burglars.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2025
And the money is often sent to the burglars’ associates or family members in their home countries.
—Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 25 Aug. 2025
Click or tap here to read more about how these skilled burglars executed heists.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Aug. 2025
The deficit of arrests and charges in the case raises the possibility that three-fourths of the band of burglars, said to have ties to South America, have gotten away with the crime.
—Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025
While smash-and-grab thefts are not unusual in the area, tunneling operations are rare, suggesting the burglars may have scoped out the property and planned the heist in advance.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
In 2022, Alameda County prosecutors used the sweet gesture to charge Whatley with murdering a San Leandro budtender during a wild and chaotic shootout between a group of at least five masked burglars and two private cops.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Anne Easton, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The burglars used my pillowcases to haul off heirloom jewelry.
—Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
Cellphone jammers are sometimes sold illegally and used by car thieves and burglars.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2025
And the money is often sent to the burglars’ associates or family members in their home countries.
—Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 25 Aug. 2025
Click or tap here to read more about how these skilled burglars executed heists.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Aug. 2025
The deficit of arrests and charges in the case raises the possibility that three-fourths of the band of burglars, said to have ties to South America, have gotten away with the crime.
—Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025
While smash-and-grab thefts are not unusual in the area, tunneling operations are rare, suggesting the burglars may have scoped out the property and planned the heist in advance.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
In 2022, Alameda County prosecutors used the sweet gesture to charge Whatley with murdering a San Leandro budtender during a wild and chaotic shootout between a group of at least five masked burglars and two private cops.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burglars
Noun
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Ciri was portaled to the far-off Korath Desert and now lives a life among the Rats, a group of young thieves running amuck in a province of the Nilfgaardian Empire.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
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On Monday, a member of the group fired upon the door to escape before the thieves fled into six getaway vehicles in the valet area of the shopping mall -- several of which were reportedly stolen, police said.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The stories of the state's historic lodges are full of resilience, overcoming natural and economic disasters, and in one case, a brush with a murderous gang of bank robbers.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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Shots were fired by the robbers, but no one was injured.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burglars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burglars. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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