thief

noun

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

Synonyms of thief

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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.
Humans are scared of him, so Nero becomes Rocco’s favorite thief. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 26 June 2026 When the legitimate truck arrived, the cargo thieves had already left with the bourbon. — Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 When a thief opens an account with your SSN, birthdate and address, canceling the account only fixes part of the problem. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 The thieves then find vehicle keys the victims may hide in places such as magnetic lockboxes and steal the vehicle or other valuables such as credit cards, Grieshaber said. — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2026 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

Phrases Containing thief

Rhymes for thief

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Browse Nearby Words

thick-witted
thief
thief ant
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Cite this Entry

“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thief. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Legal Definition

thief

noun
plural thieves
: one who commits theft
Etymology

Old English thēof

More from Merriam-Webster on thief

Nglish: Translation of thief for Spanish Speakers

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