burglar

[bur-gler] / ˈbɜr glər /

NOUN

person who steals

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crook robber thief

STRONG

housebreaker owl pilferer prowler safecracker

WEAK

cat burglar filcher midnighter picklock porch climber sneakthief

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another name for a burglar?

The word burglar specifically refers to someone who commits burglary—the crime of breaking into a place to steal things. A burglar is sometimes called a prowler. A particularly stealthy and skilled burglar is sometimes called a cat burglar. Antiquated words for burglar include housebreaker, sneakthief, and picklock. A burglar is a kind of thief, but the word thief is much more general. A house that has been burglarized can be said to have been robbed, but the word robber typically refers to someone who steals by using force, violence, or threats of force or violence. A person who specifically steals hamburgers is called a hamburglar.

What words are related to burglar?

The crime that a burglar commits is called burglary. In the US, the verb burglarize is used. In the UK, the verb is burgle. The adjective antiburglary is sometimes used to describe something designed to prevent burglaries, such as bars on windows or a burglar alarm (an electronic security system). A house with such things might be said to be burglarproof. The much rarer adjective burglarious means “pertaining to or involving burglary.”

How do you spell burglar?

Unlike a lot of words that refer to a person who performs a specific action (robber, farmer), burglar ends not in -er or -or but in -ar. The ending likely traces back to Latin origins, probably the verb burgāre, meaning “to thieve.”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His mother “worked as a receptionist at a burglar alarm company—one of the few growth industries in the neighborhood” during the early 1960s.

From The Wall Street Journal

The government also plans to introduce legislation which would mean more burglars, thieves and domestic abusers would face GPS and alcohol monitoring - using ankle tags - in what ministers describe as a £100m crackdown on crime.

From BBC

He told some people Bethan had run out of their home chasing burglars, while he told others she was knocked over while taking rubbish out.

From BBC

The heist must have taken place some time between Saturday 27 and Monday 29 December, according to officials, who think the burglars may almost have been caught shortly before reaching the vault.

From BBC

Prosecutors suggested that because the burglars did not simply steal expensive items and implied they had intended to target the celebrities personally.

From BBC

burglar

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

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