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Glite Dictionary
kleptomania

kleptomania

4 9.4
A mental condition where a person repeatedly feels a strong urge to steal things they do not need
  • noun
  • /ˌklɛp.təˈmeɪ.ni.ə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cleptomanía
  • After years of struggling with kleptomania, she finally sought professional help to manage her impulses.
  • kleptomania—a compulsion

Examples

  • Kleptomania is a mental disorder where an individual feels a strong need to steal items they do not want or need.

  • I think all humans have minor cases of kleptomania, but some definitely have more than others.

    Blog text (30)

  • Kleptomania is a disease.

    So Undercover (2012)

  • I have impulse control disorders listed in the DSM-IV-TR, along with kleptomania, pyromania, pathological gambling, and others.

    Blog text (13)

  • His kleptomania, "an urge" he "continually resists," is another form of bizarre behavior enacted to dispel his unwelcome desires.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The therapist explained that kleptomania is often driven by emotional distress rather than a desire for material goods.

Antonyms

self-control
53 3.3

Being able to stop yourself from acting on strong feelings or wants when it is hard

How Thievish

kleptomania
  • Specialized
4 9.4
honesty
365 1.0

Surface Forms

kleptomania singular
kleptomanias plural

Morphology

kleptomania = klepto + mania (semi-transparent) = klepto + mania

The element '-mania' clearly signals an obsessive condition, but 'klepto-' is a Greek combining form not widely known as a standalone word to average learners, so full meaning requires morphological knowledge.

Etymology

Kleptomania comes from Greek parts klept- meaning 'to steal' and -mania meaning 'madness' or 'a very strong desire'. So kleptomania describes a mental condition where a person has a strong, often uncontrollable urge to steal things they do not need.