thief

noun

ˈthēf How to pronounce thief (audio)
Definition of thiefnext
as in robber
one who steals a thief has been stealing wallets and valuables from the lockers at the gym

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of thief For several years, security experts have been warning against posting screenshots or photos of boarding passes on social media, as online scammers and thieves have been able to extract significant personal information from them. — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 When the legitimate truck arrived, the cargo thieves had already left with the bourbon. — Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 For the second time in just over a month, the owners of a Pokémon card shop in the Pico-Robertson area are cleaning up after thieves targeted their business. — Amanda Starrantino, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Nemesis stars Y’Lan Noel as a master thief and Matthew Law as an LAPD detective obsessed with bringing him to justice. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for thief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thief
  1. robber
  2. burglar
Noun
  • Cargo theft has been around for centuries, evident for example in the train robbers of the late 1800s, but soaring demand for AI hardware has shifted heist targets to data centers and the technology’s ever-expanding infrastructure.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • The crux of the case stems from a 2019 armed robbery at a Virginia bank and how police tracked down the robber.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 2 July 2026
Definition of robber
Noun
  • The burglars removed property, but did succeed in trying to take the ATM, police said.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Once inside, the burglar sends in a robotic assistant that races through the rooms, checks drawers, copies keys, locks cabinets and writes a demand note asking for money to unlock the data.
    — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of burglar

Browse Nearby Words

thick-witted
thief
thieve
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thief. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of thief for Spanish Speakers

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