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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pirates
Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Off the coast between Somalia and Yemen, the ship was attacked by pirates, and passengers were told to wait on Deck 5 as the captain sped up the ship.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
But today’s pirates are a savvier and sneakier lot, lurking up and down the shipping supply chain.
—Shaleen Devgun, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Within these worlds, there are chances to add in genre-bending plot twists, including vampires and pirates, that affect the rules of the worlds.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
Monkey wants to be the Pirate King, but so do a host of other pirates with their own ships and crews.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2025
New Characters One Piece is renowned for its in-depth world-building and wealth of beloved characters, with thousands of pirates, marines, fishmen, and citizens popping up throughout the series' nearly 30-year run.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
For decades, the characters in science-fiction movies and TV shows who traveled on spaceships tended to be scientists, explorers, diplomats, soldiers, and pirates.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Off the coast between Somalia and Yemen, the ship was attacked by pirates, and passengers were told to wait on Deck 5 as the captain sped up the ship.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
But today’s pirates are a savvier and sneakier lot, lurking up and down the shipping supply chain.
—Shaleen Devgun, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Within these worlds, there are chances to add in genre-bending plot twists, including vampires and pirates, that affect the rules of the worlds.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
Monkey wants to be the Pirate King, but so do a host of other pirates with their own ships and crews.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2025
New Characters One Piece is renowned for its in-depth world-building and wealth of beloved characters, with thousands of pirates, marines, fishmen, and citizens popping up throughout the series' nearly 30-year run.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 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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Suddenly, the Thursday Murder Club seizes an opportunity and leaps from the cold case realm into a very hot murder investigation.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
During a physical confrontation, Matheo forces Saskia to retreat, and Sylvie seizes the opportunity to grab Saskia’s gun.—
Time,
Time,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In addition to vindicating Harvard’s First Amendment claims, the judge held that the administration had violated Title VI, which prohibits discrimination in higher education based on race and national origin.—
Noah Feldman,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
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About 3,000 Peruvians live there yet Colombia also claims the island.—
John Otis,
NPR,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Rachel McAdams is terrific as Margaret’s mom, balancing ambition and self-doubt, while Oscar-winner Kathy Bates steals the show (big surprise) as the fiercely loving grandmother.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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His latest is the story of a teenager who steals his driving instructor’s car in order to visit his girlfriend in college.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The raiders kill many vault residents and kidnap her father Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), so the sheltered Lucy sets out on a quest to find him.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
19 Aug. 2025
-
After the rookie season finale where Hank MacLean, played by Kyle MacLachlan, escapes amid the battle between the Brotherhood of Steel and Moldaver’s New California Republic raiders, the way is opened for the sci-fi series to get to New Vegas, a popular location in the video game franchise.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The digestive process in the stomach and intestines breaks down or converts food into glucose.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Here is the emphasis on the hardscrabble beginnings and obstacles to be overcome, here is the recognition of a truly raw but once-in-a-lifetime talent that converts the nonbelivers, here are the early wins and the training montages and the tragedies and the comebacks.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As fans scramble to catch the ball, footage shows, the ball appears to land one row in front of a woman while a man runs over and grabs it.—
Chandelis Duster,
NPR,
7 Sep. 2025
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With City’s left-back, Matheus Nunes, moving out of position to press Mainoo, Ugarte’s involvement grabs the attention of Ilkay Gundogan and Josko Gvardiol.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When the State Department commandeers the West Virginia hotel to house Axis diplomats in the wake of Pearl Harbor, June realizes that nothing will ever be the same again.—
AudioFile Magazine
August 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pirates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirates. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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