Meaning & use
thief
A person who steals another person's property, typically by stealth rather than force.
See it in a sentence
The thief slipped out of the store with a coat hidden under his jacket.
Police finally caught the thief who had been breaking into cars downtown.
A note on using this word
Thief implies stealth, while 'robber' typically involves confrontation or threat, and 'burglar' specifically refers to someone who breaks into a building.
Words with a similar meaning
robberburglar
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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