burglary
gb/bˈɚɡlɚi/ us/bˈɚɡlɚi/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
action
1
illegal entry to steal
the crime of entering a building illegally to steal
Usage pattern:
commit burglary; burglary at/in [place]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse burglary (illegal entry) with robbery (stealing using force or threat) and theft (stealing without entering).
Synonyms
break-in (More informal and commonly used in everyday speech.)
|
housebreaking (More old-fashioned/formal; often focuses on homes.)
Antonyms
lawful entry (Entering a building legally and with permission.)
Collocations
commit burglary
|a burglary at a house
|a burglary in the neighborhood
|a spate of burglaries
|burglary charges
|a burglary conviction
|burglary investigation
|prevent burglary
|report a burglary
|burglary tools
Themes
crime
|law
|security
Examples
- The police are investigating a burglary at a jewelry store downtown.
- Burglary is punishable by prison in many countries.
- They installed better locks to reduce the risk of burglary.
Learner examples
- Someone committed a burglary in our street.
- Burglary is a serious crime.
Noun
B2
event
2
a particular break-in incident
one specific break-in
Usage pattern:
a burglary at/in [place]; a burglary of [property]
Common mistake:
Learners may use burglary as a countable noun without an article in the singular; say 'a burglary' for one incident.
Synonyms
break-in (Often emphasizes forced entry rather than the legal offense.)
Antonyms
peaceful night (Opposite idea: no crime occurs (not a strict lexical antonym).)
Collocations
a burglary at their home
|a burglary at the office
|a burglary last night
|a reported burglary
|a string of burglaries
|the latest burglary
|a burglary victim
|burglaries in the area
|a burglary case
|a burglary suspect
Themes
crime
|news
Examples
- There was a burglary at the apartment next door while the family was away.
- After the burglary, she found the back window smashed.
- The burglary was caught on a neighbor’s security camera.
Learner examples
- There was a burglary in my building.
- The burglary happened while we were at work.
Grammar
Expressions
aggravated burglary
1/ˈæɡɹəvˌeɪtɪd bˈɚɡlɚi/
fixed phrase
legal
more serious burglary offense
a burglary that the law treats as more serious
Examples
- He was charged with aggravated burglary because he was carrying a knife.
- The penalties for aggravated burglary are much higher than for basic burglary.
attempted burglary
1/ətˈɛmptɪd bˈɚɡlɚi/
fixed phrase
failed or incomplete break-in
when someone tries to break in but does not succeed
Examples
- The suspect was arrested after an attempted burglary at a local pharmacy.
- They reported an attempted burglary when they found fresh tool marks on the lock.
burglary alarm
1/bˈɚɡlɚi əlˈɑɹm/
fixed phrase
alarm for unauthorized entry
an alarm that warns of a break-in
Examples
- They installed a burglary alarm after someone tried the back door.
- The burglary alarm went off when the window sensor was triggered.
burglary insurance
1/bˈɚɡlɚi ɪnʃˈʊɹəns/
fixed phrase
business
insurance covering burglary losses
insurance that pays if someone breaks in and steals
Examples
- The shop owner took out burglary insurance after a break-in nearby.
- Check whether your policy includes burglary insurance for stolen electronics.
burglary rate
1/bˈɚɡlɚi ɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
frequency of burglaries
how often burglaries happen in a place
Examples
- The burglary rate has fallen in the city over the past year.
- Police increased patrols in areas with a high burglary rate.
burglary ring
1/bˈɚɡlɚi ɹˈɪŋ/
fixed phrase
organized group of burglars
a group that commits burglaries together
Examples
- Detectives broke up a burglary ring that targeted storage units.
- The burglary ring was linked to dozens of cases across the region.
burglary suspect
1/bˈɚɡlɚi sˈʌspˌɛkt/
fixed phrase
person suspected of burglary
a person police think did the burglary
Examples
- Police questioned a burglary suspect seen near the scene.
- The burglary suspect was released due to lack of evidence.
residential burglary
1/ɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl bˈɚɡlɚi/
fixed phrase
burglary of a home
a break-in at someone’s home
Examples
- The city launched a campaign to prevent residential burglary during the holidays.
- Most of the reported cases were residential burglary rather than theft from cars.