burgling

verb

present participle of burgle
1
as in invading
to enter a house or building by force usually with illegal intent someone burgled the lab when no one was there and let the animals out of their cages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in robbing
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully the neighbors returned from vacation to find that their house had been burgled

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for burgling
  1. invading
  2. robbing
Verb
  • It’s been years since Odysseus has been home, and Penelope (Hathaway), his wife, is now forced to keep dozens of gluttonous suitors at bay after invading her home.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
  • Fearful of invading marauders, humankind has turned distrustful and stingy, ignoring Zeus’ command to show generosity toward the poor and foreign-born, a cornerstone of faith that would later be repurposed in the New Testament.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of invading
Verb
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation is asking for public assistance in identifying a man, who is accused of robbing a bank in Miami Lakes.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • In an interview with Federal Bureau of Investigations agents, Young allegedly initially denied involvement in the robbery but later admitted to robbing the bank, the criminal complaint said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
Definition of robbing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

burgles
burgling
burgs
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Cite this Entry

“Burgling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burgling. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on burgling

Nglish: Translation of burgling for Spanish Speakers

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