as in buccaneers
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 seizes
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 pirates
Dan Morrison, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
The book, which is from Australia, follows Bee and her fellow runaways, who discover a new friend, Paco, is a Lost Boy from Neverland who needs them to fight hordes of pirates led by a merciless new leader.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
After the pirates save Conomi Islands, the crew set sail on their next adventure, while a new bounty is placed on Luffy.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
In the Tatsuya Nagamine movie, Z is the name of an admiral who has sworn to destroy all the pirates of the New World, because of the pirates’ dream to have no leader, motivated only by their alliances that uphold the interests of every person and community.
—Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
For Larissa Knapp, a 27-year FBI veteran who was hired by an entertainment trade group last year to bolster ACE’s work hunting pirates, the timing could hardly have been better.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 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
The structure is similar to how pirates and privateers once attacked foreign enemies at sea on behalf of their government.
—Rick Bennett, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Stevenson’s pirates are a frighteningly murderous and totally untrustworthy bunch, thriving on threats and duplicity.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
Just like Scott said, there were a lot of pirates out there.
—Dan Morrison, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
The book, which is from Australia, follows Bee and her fellow runaways, who discover a new friend, Paco, is a Lost Boy from Neverland who needs them to fight hordes of pirates led by a merciless new leader.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
After the pirates save Conomi Islands, the crew set sail on their next adventure, while a new bounty is placed on Luffy.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
In the Tatsuya Nagamine movie, Z is the name of an admiral who has sworn to destroy all the pirates of the New World, because of the pirates’ dream to have no leader, motivated only by their alliances that uphold the interests of every person and community.
—Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
For Larissa Knapp, a 27-year FBI veteran who was hired by an entertainment trade group last year to bolster ACE’s work hunting pirates, the timing could hardly have been better.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 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
The structure is similar to how pirates and privateers once attacked foreign enemies at sea on behalf of their government.
—Rick Bennett, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Stevenson’s pirates are a frighteningly murderous and totally untrustworthy bunch, thriving on threats and duplicity.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirates
Noun
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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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Dolores notices they are gone and begins to lash out, and Abby seizes an opportunity to knock Dolores out.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
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Continue reading … CRYPTO CRACKDOWN – DOJ seizes record $15 billion in Bitcoin in largest US forfeiture ever.—
,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The company also claims that the system is integrated with unique mission planning and sonar data analysis software designed to optimize the work and workload of operators.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
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However, as of November 2025, Kipley claims she is no longer allowed to use her classroom to film pump-and-pour videos — despite only doing so when students aren't around.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Set in 1492, the series follows Sara, the defiant daughter of Granada’s chief Rabbi, exiled during Spain’s expulsion of its Jewish population and captured by Ottoman corsairs (‘Korsan’ in Turkish).—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Oscar Isaac plays the pompous Victor Frankenstein, though Jacob Elordi steals the movie as the tragic and eloquent Creature.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Traverse Wine Coast has something special in every season, but autumn steals the show when the hills light up with color and harvest season brings the grapes in from the vines.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Its namesake, cattleman Oliver Loving, was shot by a band of raiders during a cattle drive in 1866, and died of shock a few days later after a doctor didn’t amputate his gangrenous arm.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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All of them have been broken into by raiders over the centuries, their walls smashed or lids prised off despite once being locked shut with metal clasps.—
Barry Neild,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The system converts 94 of its 98 physical qubits into logical ones, fully entangled in one of the largest GHZ states ever recorded.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
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In the last year, part of the utility’s plan to power the area includes the construction of substations, which converts high-voltage electricity to lower voltages for distribution to homes and businesses.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pirates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirates. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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