as in buccaneer
someone who engages in robbery of ships at sea
Sir Francis Drake was a British pirate who preyed on Spanish ships with the connivance of Elizabeth I
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
using pirated software that was subject to copyright
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of pirate
Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025
But a pirate has forgotten his hat, and the scene needs to be redone.
—John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2025
There’s a big difference between it being widely pirated in Israel and for people in New York who are not Jewish to watch it.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Noun
Blue category: These might adorn the arm of a sailor or even a pirate.
—Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025
But a pirate has forgotten his hat, and the scene needs to be redone.
—John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
One recent study found that about 11% of U.S. adults admit to pirating live sports, TV or movies.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2025
There’s a big difference between it being widely pirated in Israel and for people in New York who are not Jewish to watch it.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirate
Noun
-
Which is not to say that Skeleton Crew, in success, couldn’t ever feature the interstellar buccaneer.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
15 Jan. 2025
-
Her approach is a clean break from the 19th-century tradition of American landscape art, in which de facto propagandists like Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Cole depicted land as radiant and virginal, the birthright of any colonial buccaneer drunk on Manifest Destiny.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
ARTnews.com,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Late last year, a U.K. court ruled that police could seize $3.3 million worth of frozen assets from the brothers to cover years of unpaid taxes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Documents show police seized the following items from Kohberger that night: four medical-style gloves, a white T-shirt, a Champion sweatshirt, a pair of size 13 Nike shoes, and black shorts, boxers and socks, all from Under Armour.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The Pantera even saw competition by privateer teams in Group 3, 4, and 5 racing, with largely unsuccessful results.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Riding a Yamaha as a privateer, Laninovich made two main events last season to become the oldest starter in Supercross history at the age of 40.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
González and Machado became the top leaders of the opposition in the months leading to last year’s presidential election, which the vast majority of Venezuelans and a large number of countries, including the United States, believed Maduro stole from González through fraud.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Officers determined the video was from the May 29, 2024, hit-and-run, and were able to identify the three individuals in the car, which is believed to have been stolen, police said.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
After Columbus’s first footfall in the New World, Cuba fell prey to every manner of European freebooter.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Dec. 2021
-
There is widespread, cross-partisan public support for finally clamping down on these corporate freebooters.—
Prem Thakker,
The New Republic,
23 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
Investigators had confiscated more than 335 pounds of meth, nearly 9 pounds of heroin, more than 1,500 fentanyl pills and more than $150,000 during the years-long operation before Wednesday’s seizures.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
But sneaking sausage is tame compared to these strange items confiscated by TSA.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Freed from a Mediterranean Sea crowded with Ottoman fleets and North African corsairs, the Atlantic upstarts unleashed themselves on the world’s oceans.—
Jeremy Adelman,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Apr. 2015
-
But the stealthy corsair, evading her pursuer, slipped to safety in Tripoli’s shallow harbor—and then, suddenly, disaster struck the Philadelphia.—
Mark G. Spencer,
WSJ,
31 Jan. 2023
Verb
-
Most people scroll past because your opening didn't grab them fast enough.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
At this point, players are ready to grab the $150 bonus or a $1,500 first bet.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirate. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share