1
as in to invade
to enter a house or building by force usually with illegal intent
someone burgled the lab when no one was there and let the animals out of their cages
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to rob
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
the neighbors returned from vacation to find that their house had been burgled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burgle
A week prior to the burglary, one of the suspects was in contact with a man accused of acting as a middleman to sell luxury items burgled from wealthy homeowners, according to federal prosecutors.
—
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2025
Four Chilean men were arrested in connection with the burglary of a string of multimillion-dollar homes, including one on the date Burrow’s home was burgled, though Burrow was not explicitly mentioned in the police report.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
The leak that began the revelation came when unknown persons burgled the headquarters of the Summa Corporation, which was owned by the Hughes Tool Company.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2025
He was incensed, mistakenly believing that the notepads had been burgled from his barn.
—Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for burgle
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2025
Four Chilean men were arrested in connection with the burglary of a string of multimillion-dollar homes, including one on the date Burrow’s home was burgled, though Burrow was not explicitly mentioned in the police report.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
The leak that began the revelation came when unknown persons burgled the headquarters of the Summa Corporation, which was owned by the Hughes Tool Company.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2025
He was incensed, mistakenly believing that the notepads had been burgled from his barn.
—Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for burgle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burgle
Verb
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Amid President Trump’s threats to start a global trade war, invade Greenland, seize control of the Panama Canal and annex Canada, this story has gone virtually unnoticed: Cuba is going through its worst economic crisis in decades — maybe since the 1959 revolution.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
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Longtime Libyan leader Muammar el-Qaddafi forfeited his nation's budding nuclear program in exchange for better ties with the U.S. in 2003, the same year the U.S. invaded Iraq and toppled President Saddam Hussein over allegations of weapons of mass destruction.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Sociologists Erin Kelly and Phyllis Moen have also described how ever-increasing demands on workers’ time rob them of their health, security, and even the ability to get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.—
Adia Harvey Wingfield,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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Most memorable moment: Fleury robbing Lidstrom in the dying seconds of Game 7 might be the single greatest ending to a Stanley Cup Final ever.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burgle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burgle. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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