thief

noun

plural thieves ˈthēvz How to pronounce thief (audio)
: one that steals especially stealthily or secretly
also : one who commits theft or larceny

Examples of thief in a Sentence

A thief took my purse. a thief has been stealing wallets and valuables from the lockers at the gym
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Three thieves attacked a man in a strong-arm robbery that netted $500,000 in jewelry, only for an Apple AirTag to lead police to two suspects in Queens, cops said on Friday. Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 13 Dec. 2024 Security camera footage shows thieves running off with packages delivered to a home or even brazenly posing as a homeowner to accept an item directly from the delivery person. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2024 What is unavoidable, though, is the fact that thieves know professional athletes' exact schedules, which was seen during the Mahomes and Kelce break-ins. Scott Thompson, Fox News, 10 Dec. 2024 The Minneapolis Star Tribune also reported in September that thieves broke into the home of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. Antonio Planas, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thief 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English theef, from Old English thēof; akin to Old High German diob thief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thief was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near thief

Cite this Entry

“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thief. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

thief

noun
plural thieves ˈthēvz How to pronounce thief (audio)
: one that steals

Legal Definition

thief

noun
plural thieves
: one who commits theft
Etymology

Old English thēof

More from Merriam-Webster on thief

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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