thief

noun

ˈthēf 

plural thieves ˈthēvz 

: one that steals especially stealthily or secretly

also : one who commits theft or larceny

Synonyms of thief

• robber
• burglar

Examples of thief in a Sentence

A thief took my purse.

a thief has been stealing wallets and valuables from the lockers at the gym

Recent Examples on the Web

The feature could help someone facing a violent thief or another coercive situation. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Police told local news outlets that thieves used one of the company trucks to smash through the site’s security gate and then spent eight hours combing through the building. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026

The thieves reportedly gained access to the building by using a Lilli Petroli truck and tearing down a large iron entrance gate using a cable. — Theo Belci, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026

Noah Segan’s feature directorial debut is an unapologetic love letter to the city, starring John Turturro as an aging thief whose old-school tactics become less effective in an age of two-factor authentication. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English theef, from Old English thēof; akin to Old High German diob thief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing thief

• sneak thief

Rhymes for thief

• beef
• brief
• chief
• fief
• grief
• leaf
• lief
• reef
• reif
• seif
• sheaf
• belief

Kids Definition

thief

noun

ˈthēf 

plural thieves ˈthēvz 

: one that steals

Legal Definition

thief

noun

plural thieves

: one who commits theft

Etymology

Old English thēof