shoplift

SHOP-lihft

Shoplift (verb) means to steal goods from a shop while it is open for business. Example: “He was caught trying to shoplift a bottle of whisky.”

verb

To steal goods from a shop while it is open for business.

"He was caught trying to shoplift a bottle of whisky."

How to use shoplift

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo steal merchandise from a store during opening hours.

Common pairings

shoplift from a store caught shoplifting

Word forms

shoplifted past tense, shoplifts plural, shoplifts singular

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Can you complete this real example?

He was caught trying to _____ a bottle of whisky.

Etymology

A back-formation from "shoplifter."

Synonyms

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shop steal

Frequently asked questions

What does “shoplift” mean?

The word “shoplift” means to steal goods from a shop while it is open for business. In plain terms, to steal merchandise from a store during opening hours.

How do you pronounce “shoplift”?

“Shoplift” is pronounced SHOP-lihft (/ˈʃɒplɪft/ in IPA).

How do you use “shoplift” in a sentence?

Here is “shoplift” used in a sentence: “He was caught trying to shoplift a bottle of whisky.”

What is another word for “shoplift”?

Words with a similar meaning to “shoplift” include shop steal.

What part of speech is “shoplift”?

“Shoplift” is a verb.

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B2 vocabulary words