by 1 of 2

1
2
as in with
using the means or agency of try to convince them by reason alone, if possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in during
in the course of she attends college by day and works at the club by night

Synonyms & Similar Words

by

2 of 2

adverb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of by
Preposition
As actual spirits, released from their corporeal form, or visions conjured up by the eyes or minds of those who see them—or something else? Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2025 This burst of energy may be connected to the emotional clarity brought on by the full moon in your sign on May 12. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
Adverb
At the Camp Nou, as the open-top bus passed by, the workers came over to greet the players from their positions. Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 18 May 2025 Over at Taylor’s, Dakota swings by to play airplane with Ever True and discuss the state of their relationship. Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for by
Preposition
  • Jennifer Lopez is hosting the show at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, and will stream on Monday, May 26 at 8 pm ET via CBS and Paramount+.
    Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
  • One scam involved a caller impersonating a sheriff's deputy demanding payment via cryptocurrency to avoid arrest.
    Wayne Ford, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Preposition
  • However, the legendary musician put a twist on the song with a folk interlude midway through the song.
    Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 27 May 2025
  • As her backup dancers shifted position around her, Lopez locked lips with a male dancer, before a female dancer approached Lopez and kissed her as well.
    EW.com, EW.com, 27 May 2025
Preposition
  • Get a weekly round up of the top tech stories from around the world in your inbox every Friday.
    Ryan Browne, CNBC, 28 May 2025
  • Best of The Bee: California changes rules around trans athletes after Trump’s threat to halt funding, via Lia Russell.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025
Preposition
  • Will Smith was banned from the Oscars for ten years after slapping a fellow artist during a live broadcast.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 31 May 2025
  • Tax Cuts and Tax Breaks in the Big Beautiful Bill Lowers Tax Brackets The new legislation makes the lower income tax rates created during the first Trump Administration in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent.
    Cindy McGhee, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Adverb
  • Back in the visiting clubhouse, Roberts watched the clock tick and tick and tick, eventually to the point where keeping Kershaw in was no longer a viable option.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
  • Three seasons in, the series has remained a solid performer but its viewership has slipped, with the fantasy drama dropping out of Nielsen’s Top 10 Originals chart after the first three weeks of Season 3 while staying on the list for the entire runs the previous two seasons.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 23 May 2025
Preposition
  • Under the watchful gaze of security guards, dozens of people streamed through metal detectors to enter Temple Israel one evening this month for a town hall meeting on hate crimes and domestic terrorism.
    Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 May 2025
  • No additional information was available on that film at press time, but it is slated to be the second project Charli will produce through her Studio365 banner, joining the upcoming A24 drama The Moment, based on her original idea.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 May 2025
Preposition
  • On the morning of Sunday, May 25, about 30 minutes before sunrise, a thin, waning crescent and bright Venus will be visible near the eastern horizon, according to EarthSky.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 25 May 2025
  • Buckley then fled on foot, but shot himself with a handgun after Malvern police confronted him less than a half-mile to the north near Sand and Mt. Willow roads, the release states.
    Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2025
Preposition
  • Ensure your talent acquisition team takes a proactive approach to building your employer brand throughout the year.
    Mark Morgan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • About 19 owl species of different sizes can be found throughout America, each of them with incredible hunting skills.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025

Cite this Entry

“By.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/by. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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