theft

noun

ˈtheft How to pronounce theft (audio)
Definition of theftnext
1
as in robbery
the unlawful taking and carrying away of property without the consent of its owner while violent crime in the city has decreased dramatically, rates of theft and vandalism have risen slightly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in snatching
an instance of theft the police found the stolen car an hour after the theft was reported

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 theft The company also offered a reward for help in solving the theft. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 The sheriff's office said the defendants are facing charges including racketeering, money laundering, theft, and fraud. — Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 This is the latest in a yearlong uptick in thefts at European museums. — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026 The theft recalls one of Austria’s most notorious museum heists. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for theft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theft
  1. robbery
  2. snatching
  3. stealing
  4. grab
  5. mugging
  6. swiping
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
Noun
  • Deputy Isaiah Williams is charged with domestic battery by strangulation, battery causing bodily harm, tampering or fabricating evidence and robbery sudden snatching.
    — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
  • An informant would tell them the attack was rooted in a chain-snatching at the Lakewood Mall two months earlier.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of snatching
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
Definition of stealing
Noun
  • However, his four catches for 97 yards and one touchdown — including an incredibly athletic 52-yard grab — have his name in a good spot going into this period of uncertainty.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The biggest star for Denver (2-1) was Schrader, the third-year running back who rushed for 42 yards and caught six passes for 90 yards, including the touchdown grab that made it 27-6 and capped a 17-play, 85-yard drive in the second half.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab
Noun
  • Is a 1-game suspension enough for the mugging?
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026
  • While investigating this incident, CPD also learned that a shot was fired during a mugging, also in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Definition of mugging
Noun
  • The first sudsy swiping involved $45,000 worth of product picked up at the distribution center, which never arrived at its intended destination of Tucson, Ariz.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • To grow the bottom line, executives are focused on both bolstering the network’s place as the cable bundle’s most valuable channel and reaching a new generation of fans who have largely swapped channel flipping with feed swiping.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of swiping

Browse Nearby Words

the dickens
theft
thefts
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on theft

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about theft

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