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.
The thieves passed themselves off as wealthy dealers by renting luxury cars and holding meetings in high-end hotels. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025 Somehow the thieves knew exactly where to look for all of it. Stayton Bonner, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025 The alleged thieves scheduled multiple meetings with the merchant, rented high-end cars and met him at luxury hotels to convince him of their credibility. Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 The thieves threatened the store’s staff at Menashe & Sons Jewelers with bear spray and a stun gun after smashing the locked glass front door with a hammer and stealing everything from six display cases in the store. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 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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