Hereby

adverb

Frequency

Low

CEFR Level

Formal

Domain

Law/Business

Definition

1. (adverb) By means of this statement, document, or action — used to make something official at the very moment it is said or written.
2. (adverb) As a result of this — used in formal documents to state that something is now in effect because of what is being declared.

Context Alive

You're sitting in a meeting room and the chairperson reads the final line of a document out loud: "The board hereby approves the merger." Everyone signs. Just like that, months of negotiation become official in a single sentence.

Meanings

2 meanings

1 By Means of This Statement (Adverb) Common ▼

This meaning is about making something official through the very act of saying or writing it. Imagine a judge reading out a verdict and saying "I hereby sentence you to five years" — the word marks the exact moment the sentence becomes real and legally binding. This is describing an action that takes effect at the point of declaration. You might read "we hereby confirm your reservation" in a formal booking confirmation, or someone could write "I hereby resign from my position" in an official resignation letter. Or think about a government announcement that says "this regulation is hereby revoked" — the moment those words are published, the rule no longer exists. The word turns a statement into an action.

✏️ Hereby is one of the classic legal and ceremonial words in English. You'll see it in contracts, court rulings, government decrees, and official letters. In everyday life, people sometimes use it jokingly to sound dramatic: "I hereby declare this pizza the best I've ever eaten." The humour comes from applying legal formality to something trivial.

2 As a Result of This Declaration (Adverb) Common ▼

This meaning is about stating that something is now true or in effect because of what is being declared in the same document or statement. Imagine a company sending a letter that says "Your contract is hereby terminated" — the letter itself is the mechanism that ends the contract, and the word signals that cause and effect happen simultaneously. This is describing a formal consequence that flows directly from the declaration. You might see "all previous agreements are hereby cancelled" in a new contract replacing an old one, or someone could write "you are hereby notified" to formally tell someone something while also creating a legal record of the notification. Or think about a city council notice that reads "the following streets are hereby designated as pedestrian zones" — the notice is what makes the change happen. The word links the declaration to its immediate effect.

✏️ Hereby belongs to a family of formal adverbs: herein (in this document), herewith (together with this), hereinafter (from this point on in the document), hereafter (from now on). They all sound extremely formal and are almost exclusive to legal, contractual, and official writing. In normal conversation, just say "with this" or "by doing this."

Common Patterns

Basic Structures

hereby + verb (confirm / declare / agree) → the core pattern — making something official through the statement itself

I hereby confirm that the information above is true and accurate.

is/are hereby + past participle → passive form — something is made official by the document or statement

All previous versions of this policy are hereby revoked.

you are hereby + past participle (notified / informed / ordered) → used to formally address someone and make the notification itself the legal act

You are hereby notified that your tenancy will end on 31 July.

Common Structures

I/we hereby + verb → used by the person or body making the official declaration

We hereby grant you full access to the premises.

the parties hereby agree → standard contract language — both sides are making the agreement official right now

The parties hereby agree to the terms and conditions set out below.

is hereby designated / appointed / established → used when something or someone is officially given a new role or status

Ms Johnson is hereby appointed as the interim director.

Collocations

10 collocations

hereby declare

to officially state something, making it formal through the act of saying it

hereby confirm

to formally verify that something is true or agreed upon

hereby agree

to formally enter into an agreement at this moment

hereby notify

to officially inform someone, with the notification itself serving as the formal record

hereby revoke

to formally cancel or withdraw something previously granted

hereby grant

to officially give permission, rights, or access through this statement

hereby appoint

to officially assign someone to a position or role

hereby resign

to formally leave a position through this written or spoken statement

hereby terminate

to officially end a contract, agreement, or arrangement

hereby acknowledge

to formally recognise or accept something as true or received

Example Sentences

10 examples

I hereby declare that all the information provided in this application is true.

I formally confirm that everything I've written in this application is accurate.

The company hereby terminates your employment contract, effective immediately.

This letter officially ends your job at the company, starting right now.

All previous versions of this agreement are hereby cancelled and replaced.

Every earlier version of this deal is now officially void and replaced by this one.

You are hereby ordered to appear before the court on 15 May.

This is a formal instruction requiring you to attend court on 15 May.

The board hereby approves the allocation of funds for the new project.

The board officially agrees to release the money needed for the new project.

I hereby resign from my position as head of department.

This letter serves as my formal resignation from my role leading the department.

The following areas are hereby designated as protected wildlife zones.

These areas are now officially classified as zones where wildlife is legally protected.

We hereby acknowledge receipt of your complaint and will respond within 14 days.

We formally confirm that we've received your complaint and will get back to you within two weeks.

The parties hereby agree to resolve all disputes through arbitration.

Both sides formally commit to settling any disagreements through an independent arbitration process.

He stood up at the dinner table and said, "I hereby declare this the worst lasagne I've ever tasted" — and everyone laughed.

He got to his feet dramatically and announced that the lasagne was officially the worst he'd ever had — everyone found it hilarious.

Synonyms & Antonyms

6 items

Synonyms

by this means

a plain English equivalent — less formal but carries the same meaning

with this

the simplest everyday replacement — "with this letter, I resign"

herewith

similarly formal — means 'together with this' or 'by means of this document'

Antonyms

informally

without official or legal weight — the opposite of the formal, binding nature of hereby

unofficially

not through proper channels — lacking the authority that hereby carries

verbally

spoken without written or formal documentation — often contrasted with the written declarations hereby appears in