Definition of steal
stole
play \ˈstōl\;stolen
play \ˈstō-lən\;stealing
intransitive verb
1 : to take the property of another wrongfully and especially as a habitual or regular practice
2 : to come or go secretly, unobtrusively, gradually, or unexpectedly
3 : to steal or attempt to steal a base
transitive verb
1a : to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully stole a carb : to take away by force or unjust means they've stolen our libertyc : to take surreptitiously or without permission steal a kissd : to appropriate to oneself or beyond one's proper share : make oneself the focus of steal the show
2a : to move, convey, or introduce secretly : smuggleb : to accomplish in a concealed or unobserved manner steal a visit
3a : to seize, gain, or win by trickery, skill, or daring a basketball player adept at stealing the ball stole the electionb of a base runner : to reach (a base) safely solely by running and usually catching the opposing team off guard
stealer
nounsteal a march on
: to gain an advantage on unobserved
steal one's thunder
: to grab attention from another especially by anticipating an idea, plan, or presentation; also : to claim credit for another's idea
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Examples of steal in a Sentence
They stole thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry from the store.
He discovered that his car had been stolen.
The store manager accused the boy of stealing.
I stole a cookie from the cookie jar.
They stole our best pitcher away from our team.
His outstanding performance stole the show.
Recent Examples of steal from the Web
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Investigators unknowingly hit the moon mother lode in 2003 while searching the garage of a man later convicted of stealing and selling museum artifacts, including some that were on loan from NASA.
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A woman who allegedly stole $11,000 in jewelry from a Louisville Kohl's from October 2016 to mid-December has been taken into custody.
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One girl around 12 years old described how women accused of stealing were immersed in boiling oil.
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Could the Huntsville area steal the BayBears away from Mobile?
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One of the guns stolen in the Kansas City burglary was recovered by police in Washington, D.C., on June 21, according to the documents.
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According to documents, McCullum stole nude photos and videos of the delegate in March 2016 after offering to repair her iPhone.
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A vehicle was stolen Monday from the 1700 block of Edgewood Road.
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On Wednesday, two women went into the Victoria Secret store at the Liberty Center Mall and stole more than 350 pairs of underwear, deputies said.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'steal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of steal
Middle English stelen, from Old English stelan; akin to Old High German stelan to steal
Synonym Discussion of steal
steal
Definition of steal
Examples of steal in a Sentence
This car is a steal at only $5,000.
He has 40 steals this season.
a nifty steal by the defender
Recent Examples of steal from the Web
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Captain; first-team WCAL; 34 hits, 10 steals Christian Encarnacion-Strand, College Park,
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At $50, this vertical-design mouse is a steal--companies that specialize in ergonomic equipment sell their wireless vertical mice for as much as $110.
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The common theme is, Ame is bad, Ame lies, Ame steals, Ame is not allowed to play.
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Williams posted 10 double-doubles and averaged a team-leading 12.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
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Cattivella will also have a full menu of pizzas and pastas, which, considering the quality, are steals (pastas range from $17-$24 and pizzas will go for $16-18).
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'steal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of steal
circa 1825
STEAL Defined for English Language Learners
steal
playDefinition of steal for English Language Learners
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: to take (something that does not belong to you) in a way that is wrong or illegal
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: to take (something that you are not supposed to have) without asking for permission
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: to wrongly take and use (another person's idea, words, etc.)
steal
Definition of steal for English Language Learners
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: something that is being sold at a low price
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baseball : the act of stealing a base
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sports : the act of taking the ball, puck, etc., from another player
STEAL Defined for Kids
Definition of steal for Students
stole
\ˈstōl\;stolen
\ˈstō-lən\;stealing
1 : to take and carry away (something that belongs to another person) without permission and with the intention of keeping
2 : to come or go quietly or secretly She stole out of the room.
3 : to draw attention away from others The puppy stole the show.
4 : to take or get secretly or in a tricky way He stole a nap.
5 : to reach the next base safely in baseball by running to it when the ball has not been hit in play
6 : to take (as a ball or puck) from another player
7 : to take something from a situation
Medical Dictionary
steal
playMedical Definition of steal
: abnormal circulation characterized by deviation (as through collateral vessels or by backward flow) of blood to tissues where the normal flow of blood has been cut off by occlusion of an artery subclavian steal coronary steal
Law Dictionary
Origin and Etymology of steal
Old English stelan
Learn More about steal
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See words that rhyme with steal Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for steal Spanish Central: Translation of steal Nglish: Translation of steal for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of steal for Arabic speakers
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