by 1 of 2

Definition of bynext
1
2
as in with
using the means or agency of try to convince them by reason alone, if possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in during
in the course of she attends college by day and works at the club by night

Synonyms & Similar Words

by

2 of 2

adverb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of by
Preposition
Some are rooted in tradition, while others are inspired by Asian foodways throughout the diaspora. Phoebe Fry, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Feb. 2026 Information for this article was contributed by Claudia Ciobanu of The Associated Press. Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Three trucks drove by and our kid was terrified. Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Feb. 2026 Several deputies walked by, asking if Brown was OK. Christopher Damien, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for by
Preposition
  • Among this group, 802 cancer survivors provided dietary information via a questionnaire from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), according to the press release.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • By graduation, Toma should have earned via AP exam credits and community college work 60 to 70 University of California transferable credits, depending on the institution.
    Cyril A. Reinicke, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • The Chatham County Police Department is investigating the crash and has charged Vasquez Lopez with reckless driving, driving without a valid license, failure to obey a traffic control device, and first-degree homicide by vehicle, the agency shared online.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Others, however, took issue with Kimmel’s comments immediately following Kirk’s assassination, and welcomed his show going off the air.
    Dan Heching, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • Early childhood advocates were delighted when he was sworn into office seven years ago, his arms around his scene-stealing 2-year-old son.
    CalMatters, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The retail price for a standard pack of Pokémon cards is usually around $5 for 10 cards — though, much like hunting for shiny Pokémon, successfully purchasing a new pack may require some luck, strategy and patience as the cards have exploded in value in recent years.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • On Tuesday, the council did not make any comments about its decision during a special meeting with a single item to approve of the new contract.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Paul, who began unboxing Pokémon cards on video during the COVID-19 pandemic, is often credited with helping propel the boom.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • This fresh and flavorful bolognese sauce comes together in under an hour and is homemade perfection.
    Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2026
  • His son, Abdullah, a doctor from Mazra’a in the western Galilee, was treating a mother and her two children at a clinic last February when a masked gunman walked in and fatally shot him at close range.
    Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • Prosecutors claim Sainz Salazar served as a key fentanyl producer for the Chapitos from about 2022 through 2025, helping manufacture millions of pills, arranging drug transactions under armed protection and operating labs that later became central to the group’s fentanyl production.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Consumers who buy Affordable Care Act insurance – as well as older adults and low-income families enrolled in government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid – typically get drug discounts through their insurance plans.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • However, because the 2028 Summer Olympics activities are being planned near the beach, the awards were moved to Hollywood's Palladium for the first time in 32 years.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Besides the pledge to increase defense spending, the defense chiefs said their countries are taking concrete steps to improve readiness and deterrence, with Britian building six new munitions factories and Germany repositioning troops near its eastern border.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • This year, ByteDance’s Doubao platform, a gala sponsor, sent out waves of hongbao or red envelopes with virtual cash to users of its AI chatbot app throughout the show, while a comedian at one point asked the app for advice.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The festival includes six stages with cultural entertainment throughout the park along with live performances by chart-topping artists such as Fitz and the Tantrums, The Band Perry and Walker Hayes.
    Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026

Cite this Entry

“By.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/by. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

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