as in buccaneers
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
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as in seizes
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
using pirated software that was subject to copyright
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Recent Examples of pirates
ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
States that refused to negotiate or did not meet the obligations of the agreements are often branded as pirates and accused of supporting counterfeiting and theft.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026
Iran has gone from having the most lethal navy in the Middle East to now acting like a bunch of pirates.
—Charbel Mallo, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
And some influencers say the new clip from Supergirl was good — Kara on a space-bus full of aliens who get attacked by pirates, with a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
And to know that their daughter was brutally killed by pirates?
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
When Westley is presumed dead at the hands of pirates, she is betrothed to the evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), before being kidnapped by the trio of Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), Fezzik (André the Giant) and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin).
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Guest lecturers were competent, discussing everything from pirates in the Caribbean to the Panama Canal.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026
Our Navy, its creation was actually to free international waters from the Barbary pirates.
—NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
The Puntland official said nine pirates boarded and took control of the vessel.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
States that refused to negotiate or did not meet the obligations of the agreements are often branded as pirates and accused of supporting counterfeiting and theft.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026
Iran has gone from having the most lethal navy in the Middle East to now acting like a bunch of pirates.
—Charbel Mallo, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
And some influencers say the new clip from Supergirl was good — Kara on a space-bus full of aliens who get attacked by pirates, with a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
And to know that their daughter was brutally killed by pirates?
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
When Westley is presumed dead at the hands of pirates, she is betrothed to the evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), before being kidnapped by the trio of Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), Fezzik (André the Giant) and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin).
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Guest lecturers were competent, discussing everything from pirates in the Caribbean to the Panama Canal.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026
Our Navy, its creation was actually to free international waters from the Barbary pirates.
—NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirates
Noun
-
The conference curated a world of coming wonders for several hundred C-suite buccaneers who had paid up to fifty thousand dollars apiece to update their mental models and investment portfolios.—
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than intercepting income at the source, a bank levy freezes and seizes funds that are already sitting in your checking or savings account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Like any well-meaning grifter, Anna (Halle Bailey) seizes the opportunity to hop a flight to picturesque Tuscany after meeting a handsome Italian stranger with an empty villa.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Testing showed that the French Roast Low Acid coffee contained half the caffeine of a regular blend, but it was not labeled accordingly, the suit claims.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 2026
-
By mapping the chemical signatures of different growing regions, Supima can provide forensic proof that a product is exactly what the label claims.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Acknowledging burdens and consequences In the 1790s, the United States faced a world ruled by corsairs and kings.—
Maurizio Valsania,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Apple has provided some guilty pleasure companion reading for fans of Vince Gilligan‘s new apocalyptic drama Pluribus, full of proud, haughty pirates corsairs and Mandovian spicefruit.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Henson, who does a lot with a character that doesn’t monopolize the spotlight, touches little Zonia’s hair or steals a subtle glance at her now and then.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Pledge is meaningless if the president of the United States lies to us, divides us, bullies us and steals from us.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The children designated as Palestinians, meanwhile, have their drawings torn up and are relegated to small corners of the classroom while the teacher confiscates their candy.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Nov. 2025
-
Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Out of all 32 teams in the League, the Las Vegas raiders get the first pick of the draft, with the New York Jets to follow.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
23 Apr. 2026
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The Vikings were raiders, pirates, traders, explorers, and colonizers who traveled far beyond their homeland in Scandinavia between the 9th and 11 centuries.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of burning coal, the system converts its chemical energy directly into electricity, avoiding the release of carbon dioxide that normally defines its environmental impact.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The two-floor structure welcomes you in with a main level equipped with a full kitchen, two bathrooms, and a tatami room that converts into a spare bedroom.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pirates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirates. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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