theft
noun
\
Definition of theft
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Examples of theft in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Vehicle theft occurred June 5 in the 3900 block of Alice Street, police said. — Jennifer James, Houston Chronicle, "Thief takes — and returns — car, police say," 20 June 2019 The male was located nearby and had several items that may have been stolen in other thefts. — Washington Post, "Crime reports for Anne Arundel and Howard counties and for Annapolis," 20 June 2019 The other charges include possession of a firearm by a felon, operating a motor vehicle without consent, failure to comply with officers and theft. — Keith Schubert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Nathan Halfmann charged with 7 counts related to the standoff that closed I-94 for hours," 20 June 2019 Vitantonio has represented police officers accused of a range of crimes, including misuse of a law enforcement database, stalking and theft. — Evan Macdonald, cleveland.com, "Special prosecutor probing Euclid officer’s 2017 beating of motorist has history of defending police," 19 June 2019 In Okinawa, NCIS Special Agent Brandon McKinnon led a team that specialized in drug and theft cases. — Matt Goldfarb, CBS News, "Investigation of airman's brutal murder in Japan uncovers deception, fraud and witchcraft," 19 June 2019 According to the complaint: Police were called to the 1200 block of Namekagon Loop Friday, June 7 at 8:14 a.m. for a dog theft report. — Forum News Service, Twin Cities, "Man charged with stealing dog off deck in Hudson, Wis.," 19 June 2019 Incidents that can be reported online include car burglary, credit card abuse, criminal mischief, fraud, graffiti, harassment, and theft below $2,500. — Cassandra Jaramillo, Dallas News, "Faced with short staffing, Dallas police start online reporting system for lower priority calls," 18 June 2019 Unfortunately, pet theft is an issue around the world. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "What to Do If Your Dog Is Stolen: Keep Calm and Update Your Pet's Microchip," 17 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'theft.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
Is it 'Grifter' or 'Grafter'?
Is it 'Grifter' or 'Grafter'?
Keep your eye on the differences
11 Obscure Words for Thieves
11 Obscure Words for Thieves
Yeggs, jackrollers, footpads, and more
Come Back Here With That: 10 Fun Words...
Come Back Here With That: 10 Fun Words for Stealing
Which by the way is very, very wrong
Dictionary Entries near theft
Statistics for theft
Last Updated
24 Jun 2019
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for theft
The first known use of theft was before the 12th century
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More Definitions for theft
theft
noun
English Language Learners Definition of theft
See the full definition for theft in the English Language Learners Dictionary
theft
noun
\
Kids Definition of theft
theft
nounLegal Definition of theft
Note: Theft commonly encompasses by statute a variety of forms of stealing formerly treated as distinct crimes.
Note: Grand theft is a felony.
— called also petit theft
Note: Petty theft is a misdemeanor but may be aggravated by prior convictions.
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