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View synonyms for

thief

[theef]

noun

plural

thieves 
  1. a person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.

    Synonyms: , ,


thief

/ θː /

noun

  1. a person who steals something from another

  2. criminal law a person who commits theft

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • underthief noun
  • ˈٳ󾱱𱹾Ա noun
  • ˈٳ󾱱𱹾 adverb
  • ˈٳ󾱱𱹾 adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of thief1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English ٳŧǴ; cognate with Dutch dief, German Dieb, Old Norse ٳōڰ, Gothic thiufs
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Word History and Origins

Origin of thief1

Old English ٳŧǴ; related to Old Frisian ٳ, Old Saxon thiof, Old High German diob, Old Norse ٳōڰ, Gothic thiufs
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Synonym Study

Thief, robber refer to one who steals. A thief takes the goods or property of another by stealth without the latter's knowledge: like a thief in the night. A robber trespasses upon the house, property, or person of another, and makes away with things of value, even at the cost of violence: A robber held up two women on the street.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It has operated mostly in wealthy enclaves of southern England since 2019 and, for a fee, its team of ex-police or ex-army guards can patrol villages, looking for burglars and car thieves.

From

Before he could take action, the feathered thief flew off with the mug.

From

He said the thieves “were really quick” in unloading the jewelry.

From

He pointed to Android's factory reset protection as an area it was continuing to work on to improve security and make it harder for thieves to reset stolen devices.

From

The original in Ryhope, Sunderland, was stolen in August 2024, while an identical statue at the other end of the village was sliced down by thieves in 2021, with nobody ever traced for either theft.

From

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When To Use

doesthief mean?

A thief is a person who steals, especially in secret and without using force or violence.The plural of thief is thieves. The related noun theft refers to the act or an instance of stealing.In general, intentionally taking something that doesn’t belong to you makes you a thief. The word most commonly refers to a person who steals money or physical property, but a thief can steal other things, such as ideas, information, or intellectual property.The word thief typically refers to a person who steals without anyone noticing, at least not when the theft is taking place. In contrast, a person who steals by using force, violence, or threats of force or violence would more likely be called a robber. Still, the word thief is used generally to refer to someone who steals. In this way, a robber is a kind of thief.Most instances of theft are crimes, but a person might still be called a thief if they’ve committed a theft that won’t get them arrested. You might call your sibling a thief when they steal a cookie from your plate, for example.Example: I don’t care that he only stole a few things—he stole them, and that makes him a thief.

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thick-wittedthief ant