thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟her-ˈbī How to pronounce thereby (audio)
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
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.
The ferment is also composed of scalp-benefitting prebiotics and honey (which is a humectant and thereby amps up hydration). Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 27 Dec. 2025 The findings suggest that gravitational forces that shift as the star decays can destabilize surviving planets and smaller bodies such as asteroids, thereby triggering collisions and sending fragments spiraling inward to their destruction. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Dec. 2025 Instead of using binary bits that are either a 0 or a 1, quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits that can store values of 0 and 1 and everything in between, thereby exponentially increasing computational prowess. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 26 Dec. 2025 His project focuses on the development of a plastic-eating bacteria that will completely break down plastics, thereby reducing its impact on the environment. Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thereby

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of thereby was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Thereby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thereby. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

thereby

adverb
there·​by t͟ha(ə)r-ˈbī How to pronounce thereby (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on thereby

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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