thievery

noun

thiev·​ery ˈthē-və-rē How to pronounce thievery (audio)
ˈthēv-
plural thieveries
Synonyms of thieverynext
: the act or practice or an instance of stealing : theft

Examples of thievery in a Sentence

a case of suspected thievery a man who has a history of petty thievery and narcotics peddling
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The thievery that helped the Broncos dispatch Allen must be part of the formula against Maye, who is playing his first road playoff game in a raucous environment and hasn’t exactly protected the ball well in this postseason so far. Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2026 The new mayor is best served by a fearless watchdog making sure that the public’s interests are protected from thievery and graft, which is sure to happen. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026 Then, Steven Ramm won an advantage during a Journey that become common public knowledge — setting him up as the obvious victim for Sophi’s thievery. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025 In the announcement, the sheriff’s office pointed out that the thieves put a significant amount of effort into the thievery. Saleen Martin, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thievery

Word History

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thievery was in 1568

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thievery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thievery. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

thievery

noun
thiev·​ery ˈthēv-(ə-)rē How to pronounce thievery (audio)
plural thieveries
: the action of stealing : theft

More from Merriam-Webster on thievery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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