What does burgled mean?
Burgled is the past tense and past participle of burgle, an informal, chiefly British verb for stealing from a building after entering it without authorization. It is used in reports and conversation as a lively alternative to the more formal “burglarized” and sometimes to “robbed,” although theft from a person, vehicle, or open space would not normally be described as burgled. The word has a slightly unserious or euphemistic tone, but it can still refer to a genuine crime and serious loss. In British English, the usual forms are burgle, burgled, burgling, and burgler; “burglarized” is much more common in American English. Knowing burgled is useful because it captures the specific idea of a break-in while remaining clear, vivid, and conversational. It also belongs to a wider family built around “burglar,” whose surprising history connects the modern criminal with the older idea of a town or borough resident.
verb (past tense and past participle)The past tense and past participle of burgle: to enter a building without authorization and steal from it.
- To enter a building without authorization and steal property from it.
"The jeweller's shop was burgled while the family was away."
"Their apartment was burgled while they were on holiday."
"Police said the warehouse had been burgled overnight."
The word “burglar” began as a mere label for a town resident—only later did it come to mean a thief who breaks in.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of burgled
The English noun burglar came through Anglo-French burgier from Medieval Latin burgarius, meaning a town or borough resident, which in turn came from Latin burgus, “fortified town.” Its modern sense of a thief who breaks into buildings developed from that earlier civic sense. The verb burgle and the form burgled were formed later within this word family; related English forms include burglar, burglary, and burgher.
Related word forms
How burgled is actually used
Informal and chiefly British; Americans generally say burglarized. It can sound jocular or euphemistic, but it can also describe a serious crime.