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.
Unbeknownst to the thieves, some of the containers were equipped with tracking devices. Alana Wise, NPR, 28 Feb. 2025 Shortly after the thieves cut the Arizona train's air hose on Jan. 13, a BNSF police officer who was in the area spotted several cases of Nike shoes beside the train and later saw several people loading Nike cases into a U-Haul truck and a Ford Econoline truck nearby. Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025 The thief, along with another man, then got into a gold Cadillac Escalade with tinted windows and no license plates and sped off. Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2025 Steven Knight’s historical series blends real history and fiction to bring alive London’s underworld, during an era when female thieves and professional boxing helped to usher in the 20th century. Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thief. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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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