thievery

[ thee-vuh-ree ]

/ ˈθi və ri /

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See synonyms for thievery on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural thiev·er·ies.

the act or practice of thieving; theft.

something taken by theft.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of thievery

First recorded in 1560–70; thieve + -ery

Words nearby thievery

thief in the night, like a, thief, thieves, Thiers, Thieu, thieve, thievery, thieving, thievish, thigh, thighbone, thigh-high

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

MORE ABOUT THIEVERY

What does thievery mean?

Thievery is the practice of thieving—stealing. Thieves lead a life of thievery.

The words thief and theft are often used in situations in which a person steals in secret and without using force or violence. However, the word thievery is used in the context of all kinds of thefts, even violent ones. Thieve and thievery often imply that such activity is habitual or part of a criminal lifestyle.

Example: He is a pirate, a rogue—he knows nothing but lies and thievery.

Where does thievery come from?

The first records of the word thievery comes from the 1560s. Its base word, the verb thieve, comes from the Old English thēofian. The suffix -ery is used to form nouns and indicates a practice or occupation.

A person who engages in thievery or has a tendency to thieve can be described as thievish or thieving, as in Come back here, you lying, thieving rapscallion! Thievery and related words like thieve and thieving can sometimes sound a bit old-timey, like they’re out of a classic adventure novel. But thievery is also applied to modern instances of theft.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to thievery?

thieve (verb)

What are some synonyms for thievery?

What are some words that share a root or word element with thievery?

What are some words that often get used in discussing thievery?

How is thievery used in real life?

Thievery often implies that the person doing the thieving does so as part of leading a life of crime.

Yes! Thank you @myrnamelgar. Looking forward to working with you to fix the broken city processes that have allowed corruption and outright thievery to be far too common. https://t.co/wpK2aFNGXB

— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) December 1, 2020

someone really stole my whole order of shipping supplies out of the lobby 🤦🏻‍♀️ tis the season for extra package thievery, be careful out there buds

— Stef with an F🍒 (@stefmasc) November 29, 2020

I've never been more compelled to live a life of thievery until I just now saw dozens of unattended krispy kreme fundraiser boxes

— zoe (@zzzkap) October 21, 2014

Try using thievery!

Which of the following actions could be considered a case of thievery?

A. shoplifting
B. pickpocketing
C. bank robbery
D. all of the above

How to use thievery in a sentence

Witnessing an act of hair thievery in the wild inspired Henry Pollock to dig deeper.
There’s a new word for birds stealing animal hair: kleptotrichy|Jaime Chambers|October 4, 2021|Science News For Students
It is worse than simple thievery because those who are most knowledgeable use their knowledge to mislead their customers.
The Case for Abandoning 'Corporate Responsibility' When We Judge Company Practices|William Nordhaus|April 20, 2021|Time
He’s claimed that community members wanted several hundred thousand dollars spent in one way, but that district leaders spent it in another – which, to his way of thinking, constitutes thievery from the children.
Emails Back Up Misspending Allegation at Lincoln High|Will Huntsberry|March 10, 2021|Voice of San Diego
He was also swept about in the music of D.C., a scene which gave rise to such acts as Fugazi and Thievery Corporation.
DJ Spooky Wants You To Question Everything You Know About Music, Technology, and Philosophy|Oliver Jones|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Much as all of us loved Ocean's Twelve, I'm sure, it turns out that there's not really much money in high-end art thievery.
So You've Stolen a Valuable Painting. What Do You Do Now?|Megan McArdle|October 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The majority want the thievery on Wall Street to be stopped.
GOP Will Show No Mercy|Michael Moore|October 29, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Some international observers are suggesting the level of electoral thievery could invalidate the results.
Why the Taliban Won|Leslie H. Gelb|August 23, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Which explains as well the rather mild reaction to the mullahs' electoral thievery by the American administration.
Hillary's Tricky Iran Game|Leslie H. Gelb|June 13, 2009|DAILY BEAST
They worship Mahomet, but are very bad Mahometans, being addicted beyond all other people on earth to thievery and rapine.
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume VI|Robert Kerr
The point of the writer's attack was the grim sarcasm for such methods of thievery as are kept within the law.
Within the Law|Marvin Dana
I had to discharge Alma Jonsson last year for petty thievery.
Plays--First Series|August Strindberg
We saw no disposition to thievery among them, nor did we miss a single article after their departure.
The Works of Edgar Allan Poe|Edgar Allan Poe
That Nature is a Phantasm, where cunning beggary or thievery may sometimes find good victual.
Past and Present|Thomas Carlyle