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 puts them in a position to maximize the value creation of AI, thereby furthering the gap between themselves and their competitors.
—Calvin Goulding, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
For decades, multiple U.S. presidents chided our European allies for falling short of their defense spending targets, thereby forcing Americans to foot the bill for the collective defense of the West.
—Michelle Flowers, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
Experts told Newsweek that by sending their largest and most capable warships, European countries—the United Kingdom, France and Italy—can assist the U.S. in keeping China in check while maintaining a naval presence at home, thereby contributing to Europe's security.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
The deals represent concerted backing for new head coach Thomas Frank, and Gibbs-White in particular is a demonstration of how Spurs winning the Europa League, thereby qualifying for the 2025-26 Champions League, gave them a) more pulling power and b) more revenue to dabble with.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 11 July 2025
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Calvin Goulding, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
For decades, multiple U.S. presidents chided our European allies for falling short of their defense spending targets, thereby forcing Americans to foot the bill for the collective defense of the West.
—Michelle Flowers, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
Experts told Newsweek that by sending their largest and most capable warships, European countries—the United Kingdom, France and Italy—can assist the U.S. in keeping China in check while maintaining a naval presence at home, thereby contributing to Europe's security.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
The deals represent concerted backing for new head coach Thomas Frank, and Gibbs-White in particular is a demonstration of how Spurs winning the Europa League, thereby qualifying for the 2025-26 Champions League, gave them a) more pulling power and b) more revenue to dabble with.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 11 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 29 Jul. 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
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