thief

noun

plural thieves ˈthēvz How to pronounce thief (audio)
: 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
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.
Aside from cars, thieves will steal packages from peoples’ homes, Hill said. Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2025 The heist at the Syrian landmark comes three weeks after thieves pulled off a high-profile robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, fleeing with jewels worth over $100 million. Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 Nov. 2025 Armed with small handheld RFID readers, thieves can wirelessly scan credit cards or passports from a short distance to capture chip data and clone cards without ever touching your wallet. Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 10 Nov. 2025 Three police officers lean on a silver car blocking a Louvre entrance, hours after thieves carried out a daylight raid on French crown jewels. NPR, 9 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thief

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of thief was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thief. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

thief

noun
plural thieves ˈthēvz How to pronounce thief (audio)
: one that steals

Legal Definition

thief

noun
plural thieves
: one who commits theft
Etymology

Old English thēof

More from Merriam-Webster on thief

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!