sneak thief

See synonyms for sneak thief on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a burglar who sneaks into houses through open doors, windows, etc.

Origin of sneak thief

1
An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Words Nearby sneak thief

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sneak thief in a sentence

  • "Out with you, you sneak-thief; I am not afraid of you," Karl cried again.

    The Devil | Joseph O'Brien
  • More than that, he has the sly and stealthy manners of the sneak-thief and the brigand.

    Birds of the Rockies | Leander Sylvester Keyser
  • I was foolish not to complain to the management at once, for I might have been robbed by some sneak-thief.

    The Ghost Breaker | Charles Goddard
  • He had the chance, and being a sneak thief by nature he took it.

    The Snow-Burner | Henry Oyen
  • Bluff demanded first of all, his suspicions running in the direction of a sneak thief.

British Dictionary definitions for sneak thief

sneak thief

noun
  1. a person who steals paltry articles from premises, which he enters through open doors, windows, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012