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
William ShakespeareExamples of thereby in a Sentence
He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.
Recent Examples on the Web
Depending upon the stress level of a job, breaks from work should occur periodically, thereby minimizing any reoccurrences of burnout.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
This design completely blocks sunlight, thereby reducing algae growth and maintaining clear water.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 26 July 2025
Friday in Dove Valley marked the first full day of Broncos training camp, and thereby the first day hosting (limited) fans — a sea of blue and Nix jerseys eagerly peering from the south bleachers for their first glimpse of this new-look Denver roster.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 July 2025
The actors don’t visibly age, thereby reminding the audience of time’s passage; the characters themselves often exist in a temporal bubble, where Bart Simpson is forever in fourth grade and Bikini Bottom remains on the ocean floor.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thereby
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.
Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
This design completely blocks sunlight, thereby reducing algae growth and maintaining clear water.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 26 July 2025
Friday in Dove Valley marked the first full day of Broncos training camp, and thereby the first day hosting (limited) fans — a sea of blue and Nix jerseys eagerly peering from the south bleachers for their first glimpse of this new-look Denver roster.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 July 2025
The actors don’t visibly age, thereby reminding the audience of time’s passage; the characters themselves often exist in a temporal bubble, where Bart Simpson is forever in fourth grade and Bikini Bottom remains on the ocean floor.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thereby
Cite this Entry
“Thereby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thereby. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share