thief

noun

ˈthēf 

plural thieves ˈthēvz 

: one that steals especially stealthily or secretly

also : one who commits theft or larceny

Synonyms of thief

• robber
• burglar

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

Museums in France—and elsewhere in Europe—have been on high alert for the past year because thieves have taken valuable objects from their walls, not because visitors have added inconsequential ones to them. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 20 Sep. 2026

The thief, Mo Hailong, was sentenced in 2016 to 36 months in prison for conspiracy to steal trade secrets from DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto, two of the world’s largest seed companies at the time. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

They are finally revealed as the head-lamps of a gang of thieves, robbing a church, caught closer up, their faces occasionally emerging from the gloom. — John Hopewell, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Whyte is a hoot, and her thick-as-thieves chemistry with Horgan a delight. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

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

Phrases Containing thief

• sneak thief

Rhymes for thief

• beef
• brief
• chief
• fief
• grief
• leaf
• lief
• reef
• reif
• seif
• sheaf
• belief

Kids Definition

thief

noun

ˈthēf 

plural thieves ˈthēvz 

: one that steals

Legal Definition

thief

noun

plural thieves

: one who commits theft

Etymology

Old English thēof