theft
7 synonyms for theft, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The crime of stealing something that belongs to someone else.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use theft
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
identity theft
grand theft
charged with theft
Etymology
From Old English þīefþ, related to "thief" — literally the state or act of being a thief.
Full origin of theft →Frequently asked questions
What does “theft” mean?
The word “theft” means the crime of stealing something that belongs to someone else. In plain terms, stealing.
How do you pronounce “theft”?
“Theft” is pronounced thehft (/θɛft/ in IPA).
How do you use “theft” in a sentence?
Here is “theft” used in a sentence: “He was arrested for theft after being caught shoplifting.”
What part of speech is “theft”?
“Theft” is a noun.
Where does the word “theft” come from?
The word “theft” comes from Old English. From Old English þīefþ, related to "thief" — literally the state or act of being a thief.
Is “theft” a common word?
“Theft” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between theft and robbery?
Theft is the act of taking someone's property without permission and with no intention of returning it. Robbery is theft that involves force or the threat of force against a person, so all robbery is theft but theft becomes robbery only when a victim is confronted or threatened.
What is the difference between theft and burglary?
Theft is simply stealing property. Burglary is entering a building unlawfully, typically with intent to commit a crime such as theft inside, so burglary centres on the illegal entry while theft centres on the taking of goods.
What is the difference between theft and larceny?
Theft is the general and everyday term for stealing. Larceny is a legal term used in some jurisdictions for the unlawful taking of another person's property, so larceny is essentially a formal, statutory name for a common type of theft.
What is the difference between theft and fraud?
Theft involves directly taking property that belongs to someone else. Fraud involves using deception or false statements to gain money or property, so theft takes openly without consent while fraud obtains it through trickery.
