as in buccaneer
someone who engages in robbery of ships at sea
Sir Francis Drake was a British pirate who preyed on Spanish ships with the connivance of Elizabeth I
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as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
using pirated software that was subject to copyright
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pirate
Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
The drama has a touch of whimsy mixed among the horrors of the slave trade — a dirigible, a pirate ship and an octupus figure prominently — but the story is rooted in how Wash is able to remain uplifted despite the world’s attempts to bring him down.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 23 July 2025
Blake Brittain, USA Today, 26 June 2025
That is, as long as Anthropic purchased those books and didn’t pirate them.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Noun
The result was a very distinct split between those who figured out the game and stopped trading with the planet that produced the pirate spaceship, and those who did not.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
The drama has a touch of whimsy mixed among the horrors of the slave trade — a dirigible, a pirate ship and an octupus figure prominently — but the story is rooted in how Wash is able to remain uplifted despite the world’s attempts to bring him down.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 23 July 2025
Verb
The complaint against Microsoft came a day after a California federal judge ruled that Anthropic made fair use under U.S. copyright law of authors' material to train its AI systems but may still be liable for pirating their books.
—Blake Brittain, USA Today, 26 June 2025
That is, as long as Anthropic purchased those books and didn’t pirate them.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirate
Noun
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Guests may spot Rummy greeting buccaneers from his perch along the bar.—
Megan duBois,
Southern Living,
14 July 2025
-
Leon, even at this early stage, is a dashing buccaneer of a left back, forever setting off in search of adventure in the final third.—
Jack Lang,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Corporate executives in the technology sector, eager to curry favor, seized on the talking point.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
15 Aug. 2025
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To offer a personal example, early in my career at a Hollywood studio, physical presence in a collaborative office was a valuable part of my learning — and gave me opportunities to seize unspoken opportunities.—
Melody Brue,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Less savory characters soon saw the city's strategic value, too, with notorious privateers and pirates like Captain Henry Morgan and Calico Jack setting up shop in Port Royal.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
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Although the passengers managed to swim or be hauled on ropes to shore, much of the ship’s cargo—which included tea, brandy, nails, iron, and Wright’s paintings—was lost, washed out of the ship’s hold and either plundered by a passing privateer and people living nearby or sunk below the waves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
The gaming community was hit with another delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 earlier this year and that means those who were hoping to spend the fall months stealing cars and evading the police are needing something to fill that void.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The Thunder star and Converse stole the show that weekend, making their presence felt all over the city with signage and an epic pop-up that gave fans a first look at the SHAI 001 in person.—
Nick Crain,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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After Columbus’s first footfall in the New World, Cuba fell prey to every manner of European freebooter.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Dec. 2021
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There is widespread, cross-partisan public support for finally clamping down on these corporate freebooters.—
Prem Thakker,
The New Republic,
23 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
Desert Diamond Arena may confiscate items that could cause danger or disruption or are in breach of building policies.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Police confiscated his firearm, interviewed him, and—on the advice of the Harris County District Attorney's Office—released him without a charge.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
Noun
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Vex have new units called Kobolds, Fallen have flying corsairs.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
-
In 1544, Barbarossa, a corsair who had risen to become admiral of the Ottoman navy, raided the island and carried away into slavery almost a thousand inhabitants—practically the island’s entire population.—
Lee Marshall,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But Sunday, unfortunately for him, slipped away quickly as World No. 1 grabbed his fifth season title.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
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Four prisoners had to take turns using a bunk bed just to grab a few hours of sleep.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirate. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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