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
This creates a tiny current that can be measured, thereby detecting the microwave photon.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Plants occupy the base of Earth's food webs and are consumed directly or indirectly by all higher life-forms, thereby functioning as the major source of food for humans and other animals.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Israel had long upheld a de facto moratorium on both executions and capital punishment sentencing, thereby leading by example in the region despite a complex security environment.
—Benjamin Weinthal , Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
As a result, the Scandinavian producer can make textile fiber(s) from wood pulp or waste inputs—think leather, textiles and agricultural crop waste — thereby nixing the traditional chemical-dissolution route for viscose and lyocell production.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
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Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Plants occupy the base of Earth's food webs and are consumed directly or indirectly by all higher life-forms, thereby functioning as the major source of food for humans and other animals.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Israel had long upheld a de facto moratorium on both executions and capital punishment sentencing, thereby leading by example in the region despite a complex security environment.
—Benjamin Weinthal , Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
As a result, the Scandinavian producer can make textile fiber(s) from wood pulp or waste inputs—think leather, textiles and agricultural crop waste — thereby nixing the traditional chemical-dissolution route for viscose and lyocell production.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thereby
Cite this Entry
“Thereby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thereby. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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
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