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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 pirate
Dale Nelson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
However, the very same ruling condemned Anthropic for its alternative sourcing method: using pirate websites.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 19 June 2025
Last year Bloomberg revealed that there have been more than 140 billion visits to pirate streaming sites since 2020 compared to about 105 billion prior to the pandemic according to estimates from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Noun
Anthropic chose to download millions of free digital copies of books from pirate sites.
—Dale Nelson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
However, the very same ruling condemned Anthropic for its alternative sourcing method: using pirate websites.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Verb
Crunchyroll itself was launched as a pirating site before going legit.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 19 June 2025
Last year Bloomberg revealed that there have been more than 140 billion visits to pirate streaming sites since 2020 compared to about 105 billion prior to the pandemic according to estimates from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirate
Noun
-
The buyout buccaneers of the 1980s were their own clients, bootstrapping their corporate takeovers until their sky-high returns lured in outside money.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
19 June 2025
-
But that’s not all… Reality Distortion According to Vasko, cyber criminals behind this type of villainy may be thought of as AI buccaneers—digital pirates often paid to instigate corporate espionage and theft.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
One media entrepreneur has already seized part of the Fyre opportunity.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
10 July 2025
-
Yemen’s war began when the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
The big-block cars, equipped with 426 ci or 440 ci engines, were campaigned in America and Europe, with greatest success coming to privateer drivers on the drag strip.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
20 June 2025
-
The 4x4 is designed for high-speed desert racing, and Shelby and Brady will be putting it to the test as the first privateer team to race one.—
Kristin Shaw,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
How An Ocean Apart is different: The rebellious main character is secretly competing to break his heart and steal his money.—
Rebecca Dazenbaker,
People.com,
15 July 2025
-
Police are investigating after suitcases containing hard drives with unreleased Beyoncé music were stolen from her team’s rental car ahead of her tour stop in Atlanta.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
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
-
There is widespread, cross-partisan public support for finally clamping down on these corporate freebooters.—
Prem Thakker,
The New Republic,
23 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
From 2022 through 2024, law enforcement officials in California confiscated 139,017 guns used in crimes with identifiable serial numbers, according to the DOJ’s crime guns report.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
12 July 2025
-
No charges have been pressed against Stone, but her family said her phone was confiscated.—
Joey Safchik,
NBC news,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Order fish tacos or fresh salads at Bad Boy Burrito; grab at coffee at Cafe Moka; shop for clothing and gifts at Miss Monroe Boutique; and browse the open-air stalls at boo kee sue Botanics for handmade textiles, ceramics, and more.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
-
Pick up seasonal staples like this breezy maxi dress and these Crocs recovery slides to comfortably beat the heat, or grab year-round closet staples like these classic Levi’s jeans and this timeless button-down shirt by Gap.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirate. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share