thereby

adverb

there·​by t͟her-ˈbī 

ˈt͟her-ˌbī

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

Examples of thereby in a Sentence

He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.

Recent Examples on the Web

Patent expiration opens a drug up for development by generic drugmakers, thereby increasing competition. —Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2025

Dermatologists say there is certainly merit to the idea that toxic relationships take a toll on your skin, as well as your overall health, and thereby contribute to acne. —Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025

The Secure Erase feature on the Data page enables a right-click option to overwrite files and folders before deletion, thereby foiling attempts at forensic recovery. —PCMAG, 28 Jan. 2025

By upgrading the recall status, the agency seeks to ensure that consumers are adequately informed and aware of the potential health risks, thereby promoting proactive measures to avert potential health impacts. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing thereby

• thereby hangs a tale

Kids 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