plural thieves
ˈthēvz 
: one that steals especially stealthily or secretly
also
: one who commits theft or larceny
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
Some Hollywood residents say a thief is taking coconuts off palm trees without permission from homeowners.
—
Joan Murray, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
The heist wasn’t quite as movie‑made as the Louvre heist in October 2025, when four masked thieves pulled off a daylight robbery in just seven minutes, smashing display cases to steal eight pieces of France’s historic crown jewels.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
Mar Vista resident Andrew Martin joined the councilmembers at their news conference after copper wire thieves left his neighborhood in the dark.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
In news reports, Ale was portrayed as a baby thief.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thief
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Joan Murray, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
The heist wasn’t quite as movie‑made as the Louvre heist in October 2025, when four masked thieves pulled off a daylight robbery in just seven minutes, smashing display cases to steal eight pieces of France’s historic crown jewels.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
Mar Vista resident Andrew Martin joined the councilmembers at their news conference after copper wire thieves left his neighborhood in the dark.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
In news reports, Ale was portrayed as a baby thief.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thief
Cite this Entry
“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thief. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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