theft

noun

ˈtheft 

1

a

: the act of stealing

specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it

b

: an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property

2

: a stolen base in baseball

3

obsolete : something stolen

Synonyms

• larceny
• robbery
• stealing
• thievery

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 on the Web

Vehicle break-in/theft, 2700 block Magnolia Ave., 3:45 a.m. • Vehicle break-in/theft, 3100 block Mission Blvd., 10:30 a.m. • Misdemeanor disorderly conduct: alcohol, 1800 block Garnet Ave., 3:52 p.m. —Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2025

Sixteen merchants were affected in the theft, which included gemstones, Rolex watches and thousands of loose diamonds, some of which were priced close to $500,000 each wholesale, Duke said. —Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 18 June 2025

The couple is charged with theft of federal funds and wire fraud. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025

The theft of thousands of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles was discovered at a Colorado truck stop earlier this month, a loss of more than $1.4 million, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thiefthe, from Old English thīefth; akin to Old English thēof thief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing theft

• anti-theft
• grand theft
• identity theft
• petit theft
• petty theft

Rhymes for theft

• cleft
• deft
• heft
• left
• bereft

Kids Definition

theft

noun

ˈtheft 

: the act of stealing

Legal Definition

theft

noun

: larceny

broadly : a criminal taking of the property or services of another without consent

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)

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 committing theft or another crime

— petty theft

: theft of property or services whose value is below a specified amount

called also petit theft

Note: Petty theft is a misdemeanor but may be aggravated by prior convictions.

Etymology

Old English thiefth