steal
verb (used with object)
to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, especially secretly or by force.
had stolen
-
past perfectof steal.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Speaking of routs, Binance late Thursday reported that hackers had stolen $6.3 billion in stablecoins and other digital assets from the exchange’s digital wallets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
The judge said she believed West had a buyer in mind and had stolen the map "to order".
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
The letter was sent to Exotica Foods, an international supermarket in Swansea, by someone who said they had stolen a sign from the store as a student.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
Whispers had circulated for a year in F1 circles that the team had stolen a march on the rest of the field.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
The Redwall contingent had stolen a march upon him, and the battering ram had failed miserably.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
