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plural thieves
ˈthēvz
: 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
The high price of eggs has consumers balking, grocery stores placing limits on what people can buy, and thieves treating them as if hen eggs were Faberge.
—
Kevin Williams, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2025
Some Fort Worth neighborhoods keep losing internet for weeks because thieves have been stealing copper from cable lines.
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Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 5 Feb. 2025
Long-haul and overnight flights, for example, give thieves ample time and opportunity to peruse through suitcases and personal item bags while passengers are asleep.
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Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2025
The thieves ran from the gallery with four Andy Warhol works.
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Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for thief 
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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
Phrases Containing thief
Articles Related to thief
Dictionary Entries Near thief
Cite this Entry
“Thief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thief. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Legal Definition
thief
noun
plural thieves
: one who commits theft
Etymology
Old English thēof
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