pickpocket

noun

pick·​pock·​et ˈpik-ˌpä-kət How to pronounce pickpocket (audio)
Synonyms of pickpocketnext
: 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.
Need to Know The Quince Revive Nylon Foldover Crossbody is practically pickpocket-proof, thanks to an innovative zipper closure. Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026 According to Barcelona police, pickpocket thefts account for roughly 48 percent of crime in the Spanish city. Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026 Jamie befriends brothel pickpocket Fergus. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026 By then, the studio heads had backed off the draconian pay cuts, but a new pickpocket had arrived from Washington: a Code for the Motion Picture Industry put forward under the authority of the National Recovery Act, the enabling legislation for FDR’s New Deal. Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Pickpocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickpocket. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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

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