What does burglarize mean?
To burglarize is to enter a building illegally with the intention of stealing something. The word is used almost exclusively in American and Canadian English; speakers in Britain and other Commonwealth countries generally use the shorter verb 'burgle' instead. A person who burglarizes a home or business is a burglar, and the act itself constitutes the crime of burglary. Unlike 'rob', which suggests direct confrontation with a victim, burglarizing typically involves entering an unoccupied building — slipping in through an unlocked window, forcing a back door — and taking valuables without meeting anyone. In news reports, the passive construction is especially common: a house, office, or store 'was burglarized'. Though occasionally derided as a clumsy Americanism, the word has been part of standard American usage since the nineteenth century and appears freely in journalism, police reports, and everyday conversation across the United States.
verb (transitive)To enter a building illegally with intent to commit theft or another crime; to commit burglary against a place.
- To enter a building illegally in order to steal things; to break into a premises with intent to commit theft.
"The cottage was burglarized while the family was away on holiday."
"Someone burglarized the corner shop overnight, making off with cash from the register."
"Police warned residents to lock their doors after a string of homes were burglarized in the neighborhood."
'Burglarize' is one of those words Americans invented because British 'burgle' sounded too silly to say out loud.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of burglarize
Burglarize is formed from the noun 'burglar' combined with the verb-forming suffix '-ize'. The noun 'burglar' itself entered English in the Middle Ages from Anglo-Latin 'burglator', ultimately tracing back through Medieval Latin to roots connected with dwelling-houses and thievery. 'Burglarize' arose in American English in the nineteenth century as an alternative to the older British back-formation 'burgle'; both verbs are relatively recent coinages built on the long-established noun.
Related word forms
How burglarize is actually used
'Burglarize' is standard in American and Canadian English but is often viewed as awkward or unnecessary in Britain, where 'burgle' is preferred; some American style guides have also criticized it as inelegant, yet it remains firmly established in US legal and everyday usage.
Easily confused with burglarize
'Rob' targets a person or place by taking property directly and often implies force or confrontation, whereas 'burglarize' specifically means breaking into a building to steal, typically when it is unoccupied.
'Burgle' is the British English equivalent of 'burglarize' — they mean exactly the same thing but belong to different regional varieties of English.