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 taleWilliam 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.
Don’t jarringly, full-on recline, thereby banging into knees, knocking over tablets, or spilling drinks. Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 In Trump’s telling, unleashing US oil drilling will reduce gas prices – and thereby Americans’ cost of living – and increase the nation’s energy independence. Ella Nilsen, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025 The ruling was construed by some as granting personhood status to embryos and thereby jeopardizing the entire industry, which creates hundreds of thousands of embryos each year that are destined for the freezer or the trash. Ashley E. McGuire, National Review, 21 Feb. 2025 Supporters argue that a smaller federal government promotes efficiency, curbs wasteful spending and lowers taxes—thereby spurring economic growth. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 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 9 Mar. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!