thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟her-ˈbī 

ˈt͟her-ˌbī

1

: by that : by that means

thereby lost her chance to win

2

: connected with or with reference to that

thereby hangs a tale

—William Shakespeare

Examples of thereby in a Sentence

He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.

Recent Examples on the Web

The statement and other means of policy communication also figured importantly in conveying that understanding to the public and helping to anchor inflation expectations, thereby supporting the effective transmission of monetary policy. —John Werner, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

As the exclusive bargaining representative of NBA players, the NBPA licenses agents and thereby gives them the legal right to represent players in contract negotiations. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Yes, God confuses the language and scatters everyone, thereby creating linguistic and cultural diversity. —John Fugelsang september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025

Entrepreneurs who report higher well-being are more engaged in their businesses, thereby fueling their incentive to grow their ventures. —Samantha Dewalt, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing thereby

• thereby hangs a tale

Rhymes for thereby

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟ha(ə)r-ˈbī 

t͟he(ə)r-;

ˈt͟ha(ə)r-ˌbī,

ˈt͟he(ə)r-

1

: by that : by that means

thereby lost her chance to win

2

: connected with or with reference to that

thereby hangs a tale