Stealing: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for taking something that doesn't belong to you, often without the use of violence or force.

• She was caught stealing candy from the store.
• He regrets stealing money from his mother's purse.

General term similar to 'stealing', used in both legal and everyday situations. Can involve taking something without the owner's knowledge.

• Identity theft has become a major concern in the digital age.
• The police are investigating the theft of the valuable painting.

Involves taking something from a person by using force or threat of force. Often includes violence or intimidation.

• The bank robbery was reported on the evening news.
• She was the victim of a robbery at gunpoint.

A legal term used to describe the unlawful taking of someone's personal property, usually in a formal or legal context. Doesn't typically involve force.

• He was charged with larceny after taking the neighbor's bike.
• The larceny conviction led to a year in jail.

This is the most general term for taking something that does not belong to you. It can be used in any situation where someone takes something without permission.

• He was caught stealing a candy bar from the store.
• Stealing is against the law.

Commonly used as a verb describing the action of a thief. It carries a slightly negative and colloquial tone and is often used to describe habitual behavior.

• They thieve from tourists every summer.
• He was known to thieve from his friends.

A slightly old-fashioned and formal term, it is often used in literary contexts or formal reports. It usually implies a level of cunning or deceit.

• The spy managed to purloin the classified documents.
• He purloined a painting from the gallery under the cover of night.

This word is often used when referring to taking small items or amounts, typically from a place where the person has some level of access, like a workplace.

• She would pilfer office supplies when no one was looking.
• The janitor was caught pilfering snacks from the break room.