plural piracies
1
: an act of robbery on the high seas
also
: an act resembling such robbery
2
: robbery on the high seas
3
a
: the unauthorized use of another's production, invention, or conception especially in infringement of a copyright
b
: the illicit accessing of broadcast signals
Examples of piracy in a Sentence
piracy on the high seas
many countries have harsh penalties for piracy now
Recent Examples on the Web
Enders believes that one of the reasons the Premier League’s media rights continue to grow in value is that the league, in partnership with its broadcast partners, police and Britain’s leading internet service providers, has been much tougher on piracy than its counterparts elsewhere.
—
Matt Slater, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
The expansion of China’s global maritime presence first started in the Indian Ocean, where the PLA Navy have been carrying out counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden since 2008.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
Analysts believe the redistribution made the merchant ships that were detouring around the Cape of Good Hope vulnerable to piracy in the western Indian Ocean.
—Soham Mitra, Lou Robinson and Patrick Gallagher, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Though The Pirate Bay has long since distanced itself from him, its existence continues to challenge the global debate on internet freedom, copyright laws, and digital piracy.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piracy
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Matt Slater, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
The expansion of China’s global maritime presence first started in the Indian Ocean, where the PLA Navy have been carrying out counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden since 2008.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
Analysts believe the redistribution made the merchant ships that were detouring around the Cape of Good Hope vulnerable to piracy in the western Indian Ocean.
—Soham Mitra, Lou Robinson and Patrick Gallagher, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Though The Pirate Bay has long since distanced itself from him, its existence continues to challenge the global debate on internet freedom, copyright laws, and digital piracy.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piracy
Cite this Entry
“Piracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piracy. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
piracy
noun
pi·ra·cy
ˈpī-rə-sē 
plural piracies
1
: robbery on the high seas
2
: the use of another's production or invention without permission
Legal Definition
piracy
noun
pi·ra·cy
ˈpī-rə-sē
plural piracies
1
: an act of robbery especially on the high seas
specifically
: an illegal act of violence, detention, or plunder committed for private ends by crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft against another ship or aircraft on the high seas or in a place outside the jurisdiction of any state see also air piracy
2
a
: the unauthorized copying, distribution, or use of another's production (as a film) especially in infringement of a copyright
software piracy
b
: the unauthorized use, interception, or receipt of encoded communications (as satellite cable programming) especially to avoid paying fees for use
the statute's purpose is to proscribe the piracy of programming signals—United States v. Harrell, 983 F.2d 36 (1993)
United States v. Harrell, 983 F.2d 36 (1993)3
: the crime of committing piracy
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