theft

noun

ˈtheft How to pronounce theft (audio)
Synonyms of theft
1
a
: the act of stealing
specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it
b
: an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property
2
: a stolen base in baseball
3
obsolete : something stolen

Synonyms of theft

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Examples of theft in a Sentence

The theft of the jewelry and other valuables was immediately reported to the police. He was found guilty of theft.
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.
Credential theft, account takeovers, and activity monitoring are just a few of the possible consequences. — Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026 Citing concerns about espionage and intellectual property theft, the US has refused to work with China and last year even banned visa-holding Chinese nationals from working at NASA. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Security officers for Baltimore city buildings and public housing units went on strike Thursday, alleging safety violations and wage theft. — Renee Anderson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Belk subsequently sued Patel and GameStop, alleging the theft of employees and proprietary data. — Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for theft

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thiefthe, from Old English thīefth; akin to Old English thēof thief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Phrases Containing theft

Rhymes for theft

See All Rhymes for theft

Browse Nearby Words

the French
theft
theftbote
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Theft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theft. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

theft

noun
ˈtheft How to pronounce theft (audio)
: the act of stealing

Legal Definition

theft

noun
: larceny
broadly : a criminal taking of the property or services of another without consent

Note: Theft commonly encompasses by statute a variety of forms of stealing formerly treated as distinct crimes.

— grand theft
: theft of property or services whose value exceeds a specified amount or of a specified kind of property (as an automobile)

Note: Grand theft is a felony.

— identity theft
: the unauthorized use of another's means of identification (as name or social security number) for the purpose of committing theft or another crime
— petty theft
: theft of property or services whose value is below a specified amount

called also petit theft

Note: Petty theft is a misdemeanor but may be aggravated by prior convictions.

Etymology

Old English thiefth

More from Merriam-Webster on theft

Nglish: Translation of theft for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about theft

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