Definition of theft
1a : the act of stealing; specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of itb : an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property
2 : a stolen base in baseball
3 obsolete : something stolen
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of theft in a Sentence
The theft of the jewelry and other valuables was immediately reported to the police.
He was found guilty of theft.
Recent Examples of theft from the Web
-
A spokeswoman for Getaround, Jacqueline Tanzella, said that its rate of recovered cars from in-trip thefts was 100 percent.
-
First-degree theft, which applies to embezzlement over $10,000, carries up to 10 years in prison.
-
A woman who walked out with someone else’s $15,000 fur from the coat room at the MGM National Harbor has pleaded guilty to theft.
-
The two would-be cooks, who reportedly were wearing black tank tops, are wanted for misdemeanor theft, criminal mischief and felony burglary.
-
As commander, Eaton oversaw a number of investigative units including the detective bureau, crime scene investigation unit and auto theft unit.
-
Theft from Marine One A Virginia man has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 worth of equipment intended for Marine One, the helicopter fleet that transports the president.
-
Prison officials said Israel Hernanez, who was serving a prison sentence for vehicle theft, cut off his GPS monitoring device and walked away from the Boston Avenue facility on May 11.
-
Chasity A. Smith, 21, of the 2400 block of Church Street, Evanston, was charged with retail theft stemming from an incident May 19 in the 3600 block of Touhy Avenue.
These 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.
Origin and Etymology of theft
Middle English thiefthe, from Old English thīefth; akin to Old English thēof thief
THEFT Defined for English Language Learners
THEFT Defined for Kids
Law Dictionary
theft
Legal Definition of theft
: larceny; broadly : a criminal taking of the property or services of another without consent Editor's note: Theft commonly encompasses by statute a variety of forms of stealing formerly treated as distinct crimes. grand theft : theft of property or services whose value exceeds a specified amount or of a specified kind of property (as an automobile) Editor's note: Grand theft is a felony. identity theft : the unauthorized use of another's means of identification (as name or social security number) for the purpose of commiting theft or another crime petty theft : theft of property or services whose value is below a specified amount —called also petit theft Editor's note: Petty theft is a misdemeanor but may be aggravated by prior convictions.
Origin and Etymology of theft
Old English thiefth
Learn More about theft
-
See words that rhyme with theft Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for theft Spanish Central: Translation of theft Nglish: Translation of theft for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of theft for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about theft
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up theft? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!