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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pirate
Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 19 Sep. 2025
Leaders in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) focused on combating pirates and handling trade across the strait as Chinese settlers increasingly moved to the island.
—David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
Chloe Veltman, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
But there was also a silver lining for creators: There could be liability if works were illegally downloaded without payment, opening the door for massive payouts to Universal and other studios if their movies were pirated.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Noun
In the song, JJ and his friends dress up in doctor, pirate, and more cute costumes.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 19 Sep. 2025
Leaders in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) focused on combating pirates and handling trade across the strait as Chinese settlers increasingly moved to the island.
—David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
The judge's order asserts that Anthropic pirated more than 7 million copies of books.
—Chloe Veltman, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
But there was also a silver lining for creators: There could be liability if works were illegally downloaded without payment, opening the door for massive payouts to Universal and other studios if their movies were pirated.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirate
Noun
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Swashbucklers, scoundrels, bandits and buccaneers will soon be bellying up to the bar inside a lively new pirate pub at Walt Disney World that’s already booked solid for the first two months and promises to be a must-have reservation for visitors.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
29 Aug. 2025
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The conference curated a world of coming wonders for several hundred C-suite buccaneers who had paid up to fifty thousand dollars apiece to update their mental models and investment portfolios.—
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The man reported to the Sheriff’s Office he had been scammed; the Sheriff’s Office then obtained a warrant and seized $14,120 from the ATM.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Oct. 2025
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Failing to seize the narrative, the authorities shifted course and began erasing the record from public memory.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The ghost ship of Harpswell had been the privateer Dash, which had been lost at sea after compiling its remarkable record.—
Leanna Renee Hieber,
Big Think,
2 Oct. 2025
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The muse, known as Lucybelle II, was a rare privateer entry that demonstrated the determination of non-factory teams.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The play that drew Reeve’s ire was Alyssa Thomas stealing the ball from Napheesa Collier near the 3-point line and going toward the other end of the court for the game-sealing layup.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
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Thankfully, my passport wasn’t stolen, nor was it stranded somewhere in the middle of the rainforest (my worst fear at the time).—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Verb
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Exxon was the first American company to sue Cuban state companies, Cimex and Unión Cuba-Petróleo in 2019, for the exploitation of service stations confiscated by the Cuban government.—
Nora Gamez Torres,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
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In this exclusive clip, the sisters encounter one of the magical objects their ancestor confiscated.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Vex have new units called Kobolds, Fallen have flying corsairs.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
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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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Today is the last day to grab a lifetime license for Windows 11 Pro for only $13 (reg.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
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As the clock expired on a win Brian Daboll desperately needed, the New York Giants coach grabbed rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirate. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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