stealing 1 of 2

noun

as in robbery
the unlawful taking and carrying away of property without the consent of its owner in those days the stealing of a horse was a very serious crime

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stealing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of steal
1
as in swiping
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep the guy who tried to steal my car was sentenced to a year in jail

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sneaking
to move about in a sly or secret manner the teenagers were able to steal past a security guard and enter the fairgrounds without paying admission

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stealing
Noun
The victim later told police the woman had been fired from her company after being suspected of stealing, the warrant affidavit said. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026 This kind of stealing of consensus is hardly new to American politics, true enough. — Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Economic circumstances also contribute to the rise of stealing and fraud. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 3 Aug. 2026 Appearances by the unrelenting (and scene-stealing) Frank Castle, the vigilante known as the Punisher, also demand a more accountable hero. — Ken Makin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 2026 Nathaniel Pearson of Raytown was charged Tuesday with first degree assault, armed criminal action and attempted stealing of a motor vehicle, the prosecutor’s office said in a Wednesday news release. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026 Like the first book of the trilogy, this one unfolds entirely in dialogue—only instead of giving us a narrator whose hat was stolen, this story is narrated by the fish who did the stealing. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026 Luke Locklear, 29, of Lumberton, is charged with felony conspiracy, and altering/stealing/destroying criminal evidence by taking it from the home and burning it, a warrant says. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2026 Sale and Ventura engaged in a heated argument a few days later after Sale demanded Ventura call out the Tigers for the sign-stealing. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
Verb
Moments before, with Wells still at the plate and the Yankees leading 7-1, Flemming and color analyst Will Middlebrooks vented about Chisholm stealing second base and third base during the at-bat. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 After spending 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean is being released a hardened man. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 Chinese consumer brands that went public over the past year or so initially drew strong investor interest until a string of artificial-intelligence companies made their debuts, stealing their thunder and minting new billionaires. — Dave Sebastian, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 On August 27, two men paid for admission to the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna, before stealing a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace. — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026 Detectives said the five suspects are organized and responsible for stealing more than $60,000 in merchandise. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 As part of his plea deal, Delgado admitted to stealing at least $250 million from at least 1,000 investors. — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 More than 20 years after stealing the Declaration of Independence, National Treasure 3 is in the works. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026 The crook's real goal may be stealing your Apple Account credentials. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stealing
  1. robbery
  2. swiping
  3. sneaking
  4. theft
  5. robbing
  6. lurking
  7. pilfering
  8. slipping
Noun
  • Continue reading … HOLIDAY HAZARD — Travelers warned of drink-spiking robberies and kidnappings at vacation hot spot.
    — , FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • At an archeological museum in Alicante, Spain, last Thursday — the very day of the Vienna robbery — thieves took dozens of gold and silver Bronze Age artifacts from a collection known as the Treasure of Villena.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of robbery
Verb
  • This isn’t like, say, opening a cabinet or swiping a bag of gummy bears from a table.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Before swiping, gently check whether anything feels loose or moves unexpectedly.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of swiping
Verb
  • Police are investigating a rash of incidents involving people sneaking out of sewers.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Pinch-hitter Eli White followed by sneaking a soft line drive up the middle to drive in Durbin, cutting the Giants’ lead to 2-1.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of sneaking
Noun
  • In the same time, shootings plunged 48%, robberies 35% and car thefts 20% — and those levels have generally improved or held this year.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Fortune reported on the tactic a decade ago, when fraud accounted for roughly one in 10 cargo thefts, and food was the most attractive target, since it can be resold through unscrupulous distributors with no serial numbers to trace.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of theft
Verb
  • The backlash against hyperscale data centers has converted both Democrats and Republicans into AI skeptics, warning that the industry’s rise risks robbing communities of autonomy.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • His grand-slam-robbing catch was also flagged by the league as the play of the week.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of robbing
Verb
  • Maybe the top of the fridge hasn’t seen a wipe-down in months, or the inside of your toaster tray has some lurking crumbs.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Scientists do not yet know whether dark matter is made up of ancient black holes lurking throughout space, undiscovered heavy and slow particles, or unknown lighter and faster particles.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurking
Verb
  • The frequency with which the Premier League’s richest are now pilfering the best players from fellow English clubs is no coincidence.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors said Pildes defrauded attendees and small business owners alike, pilfering funds to pay for extensive renovations on a lakefront property in New Jersey, concert tickets, luxury getaways, Michelin star meals and a sports car.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of pilfering
Verb
  • The 49ers, an otherwise good team, have for the past couple of months been weaving and slipping bad news like a boxer trying to avoid a knockout punch.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The campaign showcases Diesel’s creased denim treated with resin, 3-D denim, trompe l’oeil cable knit denim and the new regular-fit D-Heel jean, which has hidden vertical slits near the ankle, perfect for slipping through a stiletto heel.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of slipping

Browse Nearby Words

steal (from)
stealing
stealing (from)
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Cite this Entry

“Stealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stealing. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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