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

Adams and Mourtgos, however, didn't examine Flock's effect on break-ins, where thieves steal belongings from parked cars. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026

Authorities told the company the thieves broke open the back of the vehicles, found nothing of value, and left them. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

On August 27, thieves made off with almost all of it, leaving behind only a small handful of silver vessels, one bracelet, ornaments, and one of four crowns, thought to have been dropped in their escape. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

The fats and oils inside the tank did not physically change when thieves began siphoning them out. — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 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