pickpocket

noun

pick·​pock·​et ˈpik-ˌpä-kət How to pronounce pickpocket (audio)
: a thief who picks pockets

Examples of pickpocket in a Sentence

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.
Looking less like a tourist protects you more against pickpockets than these obvious pieces. Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025 Fackham Hall follows pickpocket Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) who lands a job at English manor house Fackham Hall. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025 Afterwards, walk through the dazzling Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, pausing to admire the glass dome and beautiful mosaic floors (but beware of pickpockets). Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025 The technology promises efficiency and fairness, but travelers are discovering that AI often acts more like a digital pickpocket than an impartial assistant. Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pickpocket

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pickpocket was in 1591

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pickpocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickpocket. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

pickpocket

noun
pick·​pock·​et ˈpik-ˌpäk-ət How to pronounce pickpocket (audio)
: a thief who steals from pockets and purses

Legal Definition

pickpocket

noun
pick·​pock·​et
: a thief who surreptitiously steals money or valuables from the pockets or person of an individual

More from Merriam-Webster on pickpocket

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!