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 of theft

• robbery
• stealing

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

Before the operation was disrupted, the scheme resulted in the theft of more than $400 million over an 18-month period. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2026

The Nazi regime orchestrated the largest art theft in world history between 1933 and 1945, seizing more than 650,000 works of art across Europe from Jewish families, collectors and museums, according to the Center for Art Law. — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2026

For one, the old notion that museum thefts are generally non-violent, or use stealthy tactics such as replacing precious jewels or artworks with convincing fakes, is no longer the case. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 13 Nov. 2026

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, a major expansion of plate readers didn’t reduce violent crime overall, but it was associated with fewer shootings, car thefts and property crimes. — Tk Vinod Kumar, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2026

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