piracy

noun

ˈpī-rə-sē How to pronounce piracy (audio)
Definition of piracynext
as in pirating
the act or pursuit of robbing ships at sea many countries have harsh penalties for piracy now

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 piracy The department had initially intercepted and inspected the shipment at the port based on a tip received by its counterfeit and piracy enforcement team, the department said in the release. — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 The increase, however, still doesn’t match the scale of Somalia’s piracy crisis at its peak. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 This highlights a consistent and massive link between content piracy and the unregulated gambling economy. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Others can be reached through questionable streaming and piracy sites. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for piracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piracy
  1. pirating
  2. robbery
Noun
  • Shows had to be encrypted to prevent pirating, but easily viewable on Android, iOS, web and other platforms.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • No drugs were found, but Simpson’s home address had also come up during the investigation as one potentially linked to the purchase of satellite TV pirating equipment.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 May 2026
Definition of pirating
Noun
  • Police have launched a homicide investigation after a man died from injuries suffered in an altercation that was initially reported as a possible strong-arm robbery, a police spokesman said.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Victims of gun violence, police violence, robberies, and addictions walk the streets outside, repeating their last movements, behaviors, and desires.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of robbery

Browse Nearby Words

piquing
piracy
piragua
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Piracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piracy. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on piracy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about piracy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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