theft

noun

ˈtheft 

1

a

: the act of stealing

specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it

b

: an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property

2

: a stolen base in baseball

3

obsolete : something stolen

Synonyms

• larceny
• robbery
• stealing
• thievery

Examples of theft in a Sentence

The theft of the jewelry and other valuables was immediately reported to the police.

He was found guilty of theft.

Recent Examples on the Web

Surtain intercepted four passes during his rookie season, including a theft of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a pick six against Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. —Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 7 Feb. 2025

What To Know The lawsuit accused MGA Entertainment of cultural appropriation and theft, claiming their OMG Dolls were modeled after the girl group OMG Girlz, which includes Tiny's daughter Pullins, Bahja Rodriguez, and Breaunna Womack—leading to a copyright infringement case. —Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

In October, Evergreen Dairy Farm agreed to a settlement with the state of Minnesota over charges of wage theft and substandard housing. —Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025

Three people were recently arrested in connection with the theft of over 150 pounds of copper wire, according to a news release from Fort Worth police. —Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thiefthe, from Old English thīefth; akin to Old English thēof thief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing theft

• anti-theft
• grand theft
• identity theft
• petit theft
• petty theft

Kids Definition

theft

noun

ˈtheft 

: the act of stealing

Legal Definition

theft

noun

: larceny

broadly : a criminal taking of the property or services of another without consent

Note: Theft commonly encompasses by statute a variety of forms of stealing formerly treated as distinct crimes.

— grand theft

: theft of property or services whose value exceeds a specified amount or of a specified kind of property (as an automobile)

Note: Grand theft is a felony.

— identity theft

: the unauthorized use of another's means of identification (as name or social security number) for the purpose of committing theft or another crime

— petty theft

: theft of property or services whose value is below a specified amount

called also petit theft

Note: Petty theft is a misdemeanor but may be aggravated by prior convictions.

Etymology

Old English thiefth