Plagiarize in a Sentence: 25+ Examples, Meaning & Usage
7 min read
Plagiarize is to copy words, ideas, or work from another person without giving credit. Example: Students should never plagiarize information from the internet.
How do you use plagiarize in a sentence? Or do you need the exact sentence for plagiarize for a school assignment? Look no further.
Below you'll find 25+ example sentences for plagiarize in a sentence, plagiarized, plagiarizing, and plagiarism.
We'll also cover whether taking one sentence can be considered plagiarism. ✅
What Does "Plagiarize" Mean?
In simple terms, when you plagiarize, you use another person's writing, research, or ideas without properly crediting your source. There you have it. The plagiarize meaning for everyday conversation.
So, whether you are looking up plagiarize definition or wondering what does plagiarize mean?
Recall this simple explanation: plagiarize is always a verb; an action, while plagiarism is the noun that names the act itself.
Word | Form | Meaning | Simple Example |
plagiarize | verb (base) | to copy without credit | Never plagiarize another writer's work. |
plagiarized | verb (past) | did the copying | He plagiarized part of the essay. |
plagiarizing | verb (present participle) | the act, ongoing | She was accused of plagiarizing the article. |
plagiarism | noun | the act/practice | The professor warned students about plagiarism. |
If you write or manage content for websites, it's also worth knowing the specific SEO content plagiarism flags that search engines and checkers look for, since duplicate or near-duplicate content can hurt rankings even when it's unintentional.
25+ Examples of "Plagiarize" in a Sentence
Below are 28 original example sentences covering every form of the word, split by usage so you can find exactly the plagiarize examples or plagiarism examples sentences you're looking for.
These examples for plagiarism are grouped by word form so you can jump straight to the one you need.
Examples Using "Plagiarize" (Verb): 8 Sentences
The professor warned the class not to plagiarize in a sentence or a whole paragraph of their essays.
It's easy to accidentally plagiarize when you forget to add a citation.
Never plagiarize a passage directly from a textbook without quotation marks.
Many students don't realize they plagiarize when they copy website text word for word.
If you want to use plagiarize in a sentence correctly, remember it always needs an object. The thing being copied.
Journalists who plagiarize another reporter's story can lose their jobs. ❌
A common sentence for plagiarize in an academic handbook reads: "Students must not plagiarize any part of their coursework."
Authors sometimes plagiarize plot ideas without crediting the original creator. That's a clear case of plagiarize used in a sentence about creative work rather than academic writing.
Examples Using "Plagiarized" (Past Tense): 7 Sentences
She plagiarized two paragraphs from a website for her research paper.
The blogger plagiarized an entire article and republished it under his own name.
He was expelled after it was proven that he plagiarized his thesis.
The magazine retracted the piece once editors confirmed it had plagiarized another outlet.
In the sentence "The student plagiarized in a sentence taken from an online essay bank," the past tense shows the act already happened.
The songwriter admitted she had plagiarized part of the melody.
Critics noted that the speech plagiarized lines from an earlier political address.
Examples Using "Plagiarizing" (Present Participle): 5 Sentences
The teacher caught him plagiarizing during the final exam essay.
She was accused of plagiarizing a classmate's lab report.
Software can flag a writer for plagiarizing in a sentence even when only one line is copied.
The editor stopped the intern from plagiarizing a competitor's headline.
He denied plagiarizing any part of his own dissertation.
Examples Using "Plagiarism" (Noun): 7 Sentences
Plagiarism in a sentence can be as small as one unattributed phrase.
The syllabus lists plagiarism as a serious violation of academic integrity.
A clear sentence with plagiarism might read: "The essay contained plagiarism from three separate sources."
Detecting plagiarism in sentence structure is often harder than spotting copied paragraphs.
The newspaper apologized for the plagiarism found in one of its columns.
A typical sentence for plagiarism in a college handbook warns that "any plagiarism will result in a failing grade."
Once plagiarism use in a sentence is confirmed by an instructor, the student usually faces a formal review.
If you want to use plagiarism in a sentence as the subject, try: “Plagiarism can end a career.” A simple example of plagiarism in a sentence like this keeps the noun front and center.
Many students wonder does Gradescope checks for plagiarism when submitting assignments through their course platform. Since instructors increasingly rely on integrated tools to flag copied content before manual review even begins.
Plagiarize Vs. Plagiarism: What's the Difference?
Plagiarize is a verb describing the action. Plagiarism is the noun describing the act or practice itself.
This also answers the common plagiarize part of speech question. It settles the plagiarize vs plagiarism debate in one line.
Plagiarize (Verb):
Someone can plagiarize an essay by copying it directly.
Plagiarism (Noun):
The copying itself is called plagiarism.
Word | Part of Speech | Example |
plagiarize | Verb (action) | "Please don't plagiarize your sources." |
plagiarism | Noun (the act) | "Plagiarism can lead to serious consequences." |
Can One Sentence Be Plagiarism?
Yes! 👍 You can plagiarize just one sentence. Heck, you can plagiarize a unique phrase if you're using someone else's wording or idea without giving credit. There's no magic number of words you must copy before it's considered plagiarism.
You're asking, can you plagiarize a sentence? The answer is simply yes.
Harvard defines plagiarism as using another person's language or ideas without adequate credit.
Oxford gives an example where even one unattributed copied phrase counts.
Plagiarism can occur even if you only copy and paste one phrase without attribution. So, how many words in a sentence is plagiarism? Honestly, there isn't a number. Instead, it's how you attribute.
For a broader breakdown of what counts, see this guide on types of plagiarism.
How to Avoid Plagiarizing a Sentence?
Even a small sentence with plagiarism risk can be avoided with a few consistent habits. Here's how to avoid plagiarizing a sentence:
Knowing how to use plagiarism in a sentence correctly starts with these habits.
Put quotation marks around any exact wording you keep. ✅
Cite the original source every time. ✅
If paraphrasing, genuinely change both wording and sentence structure. Oxford warns that keeping the original structure can still count as plagiarism, even after swapping a few words. ❌
This concern has grown more urgent in 2026.
As research into generative plagiarism detection shows AI tools can now reproduce near-verbatim text reuse that's harder for older checkers to catch, making careful paraphrasing more important than ever.
Check the finished draft for missed similarities before submitting. ✅
If you're not sure whether a sentence in your draft is too close to an existing source, run the finished text through a plagiarism checker and review any matching passages before you submit.
For a full workflow, see this guide on how to prevent plagiarism. Even careful writers can accidentally leave a sentence too close to the original source.
Before you submit any paper, essay, or article, it's worth running it through a plagiarism checker to catch unattributed phrases or overly close paraphrasing you might have missed.
If you're drafting in Google Docs, here's a guide on how to check for plagiarism in Google Docs directly, without switching tools.
Plagiarize or Plagiarise?
Plagiarize is the American English spelling. This page uses that spelling because US interest ("googlegate") in plagiarize in a sentence far exceeds the interest from the rest of the world.
The British English variant accepted by most is plagiarise. Collins recognizes plagiarise as the standard UK spelling.
Example: Students in Britain are taught not to plagiarise their coursework.
If you want to see plagiarise in a sentence written the UK way, that example above is a good model.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use plagiarize in a sentence?
Place it as a verb followed by what's being copied. "Please don't plagiarize the article; instead, summarize it in your own words."
Is plagiarize a verb or a noun?
Plagiarize is a verb. Plagiarism is the related noun. Use "plagiarize" for the action and "plagiarism" for the act itself.
What is a simple sentence with plagiarism?
"Plagiarism is not allowed in this class." That's a short, complete sentence with plagiarism used correctly as the subject.
How many words in a sentence count as plagiarism?
It’s not about a universal number. ❌
Plagiarism turns on whether someone else's language or ideas are used without credit. Not a fixed word count per Harvard's framing and Oxford's guidance.
Does changing a few words prevent plagiarism?
No! ❌ Simply changing a few words from the original source or preserving the source's sentence structure without giving credit to the source are forms of close paraphrasing and can still be plagiarism.
This gradual, word-by-word substitution is sometimes called incremental plagiarism. It's just as serious as copying a passage outright. See this guide on when paraphrasing becomes plagiarism.
Can plagiarism be accidental?
Yes! ✅ Not keeping track of your sources, failing to attribute information, and paraphrasing too closely can result in unintentional/accidental plagiarism according to Harvard’s guidance.
Running your draft through one of the best plagiarism checkers before submitting is one of the simplest ways to catch these accidental slips.
Written by
Muhammad Usman Ali
Pakistan
Muhammad Usman Ali is an experienced SEO content writer with 3+ years of professional writing experience. He specializes in AI tools, AI detection technologies, and search engine optimized content.
