to steal

Examples

• All

• We stole up on it.

  Lord of the Flies (1963)

• I was stealing looks at the jury.

  Find Me Guilty (2006)

• Joseph sat up a little, and a slow smile stole across his face.

  Fiction book (1990)

• When my mom and dad used to fight, I used to steal one of my dad's six-packs and go hide out in the tree fort.

  Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

• A visitor learned from locals that the pirates used to steal foodstuffs from the Malagasy.

  Academic text (2005)

• The suffering they endured and the misery they witnessed stole their adolescence.

  Academic text (2011)

• The ranks of evangelicals were swelling with converts as they stole away Anglican parishioners and sometimes Anglican vestrymen.

  Academic text (1996)

• She tried to steal away from the party without anyone noticing.

• He moved to steal a glimpse of the surprise party being set up for her.

• The cat attempted to steal through the open door when the humans weren’t looking.

Synonyms

S

to sneak

vsto steal

699 2.8

To move or take something quietly so others do not notice

is specifically about moving somewhere quietly rather than general stealth

S

to slip

vsto steal

503 2.3

To move quietly and easily, often without being noticed

stresses secret movement to avoid detection rather than smoothness

S

to sneak out

vsto steal

• Informal

125 3.7

To leave a place quietly so no one notices you

is about moving quietly to any place, not only leaving

S

to sneak in

vsto steal

• Informal

75 3.8

To go into a place quietly so no one notices

focuses on going into a place rather than general secret movement

S

to sneak off

vsto steal

• Informal

33 4.0

Leave a place quietly so others do not notice

is the general act of moving quietly, not only short departures

S

to slip away

vsto steal

32 3.4

To leave a place quietly without anyone noticing

focuses on moving quietly to a place rather than vanishing entirely

S

to sneak away

vsto steal

• Informal

17 3.6

To leave a place quietly without being noticed

describes secret movement to a location rather than only departing

A

to abscond

vsto steal

• Formal

11 8.5

To leave quickly and secretly with money or things to avoid being caught

is simply quiet, secret movement without the sense of fleeing authority

S

to steal away

vsto steal

4 6.3

To leave a meeting or party quietly so no one notices

is the basic idea of moving somewhere quietly rather than only leaving

Antonyms

A

to announce

∞ 1.5

To tell people officially about something, often in public

R

to reveal

∞ 2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

Idioms

S

to steal the show

• Informal

14 3.7

To get the most attention or praise at an event

S

to steal someone's heart

• Informal

1 3.6

To make someone feel love or a strong liking for you

Phrasal Verbs

S

to steal away

4 6.3

To leave a meeting or party quietly so no one notices

S

to steal a base

• Jargon

1 5.8

To run to the next base while the pitcher throws the ball without a hit or mistake

G

to go for kill steal

• Slang

9.5

To try to get the last hit on an enemy after another player did most fighting

Compounds

K

kill steal

• Jargon

8.9

Taking the final hit on an enemy in a game so another player does not get the kill

How Quiet

to steal

193 4.3

to creep

155 2.5

to tiptoe

44 3.1

Surface Forms

Etymology