verb

steal

steel

verb

To take something that belongs to someone else without permission or intention of returning it.

"Someone stole her bike from outside the library."

"He was caught trying to steal cash from the register."

To take credit for or copy someone else's idea, joke, or work without acknowledgment.

"The comedian was accused of stealing another writer's material."

To move quietly and unnoticed.

"She tried to steal out of the meeting without anyone noticing."

In sports, to advance to another base, or take possession of the ball, through skill rather than a scoring play.

"The runner stole second base on the very next pitch."

noun

An item priced so low it feels like a bargain.

"At that price, the laptop was an absolute steal."

How to Use Steal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTaking something without permission — literally, or figuratively as in "steal the show" or "steal a glance."

Common mistake

Past tense is "stole," not "stealed"; the past participle is "stolen."

Common pairings

steal the show steal a glance steal a base it's a steal

Word Forms

stole past tense, stolen past tense, steal plural, stole plural, steals plural, steals singular, steal singular, stole singular, stealest singular, stolest singular, stealeth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

He was caught trying to _____ cash from the register.

Etymology

From Old English stelan, going back to a Germanic root shared with German stehlen and Dutch stelen.

Synonyms

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abduct abstract appropriate bag bandit bash and grab bone boost burgle burglarize borrow cheat

Antonyms

receive purchase buy donate earn bestow grant return

Related Words

barter abbreviation abduct bone take abstract achieve win

Rhymes for steal

deal zeal teal real meal seal heal peal veal Neal beal ideal

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