stealing
HighPredominantly neutral to informal; the noun form is standard in legal and formal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The act of taking something that belongs to someone else without permission or legal right.
The action of gaining an unfair or illicit advantage, or achieving something through clever or covert means (e.g., stealing a glance, stealing the show).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a gerund (verbal noun), it refers to the activity or crime. Can imply both the specific act and the general concept of theft.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical in both varieties. The associated verb 'nick' (to steal) is more common in UK informal speech.
Connotations
Universally negative when referring to crime. In sports/figurative use (stealing a base, stealing a kiss) it is neutral or positive.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties. Legal term 'theft' is more formal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
steal [sth]steal [sth] from [sb/sth]steal [sb] [sth] (ditransitive, rare)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Stealing someone's thunder”
- “Stealing the show”
- “Like stealing candy from a baby”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to embezzlement, intellectual property theft, or unethical competitive practices.
Academic
Used in criminology, law, and ethics discussions about property and ownership.
Everyday
Common in reports of crime, parental admonishments, or lighthearted figurative use.
Technical
In sports (baseball: stealing a base), computing (data theft), and law (grand larceny).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was caught stealing biscuits from the tin.
- She stole the crown jewels in the film plot.
American English
- He got arrested for stealing a car.
- The player is known for stealing bases effectively.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Stealing is wrong.
- The boy is sorry for stealing the apple.
- She admitted to stealing the money from the cash register.
- The film is about a gang specialising in stealing art.
- The new legislation aims to reduce digital stealing of copyrighted content.
- By stealing a glance at the report, he knew the company was in trouble.
- The historian argued that colonial powers were guilty of systematically stealing cultural artefacts.
- His performance was so compelling that he was accused of stealing the scene from the lead actor.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a STEEL ring being taken – something hard and valuable being stolen. 'STEAL' is in 'STEALING'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/IDEAS/ATTENTION ARE OBJECTS THAT CAN BE STOLEN (e.g., stealing time, stealing an idea). WINNING/SUCCESS IS TAKING SOMETHING (e.g., stealing a victory).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'steel' (сталь).
- В русском 'воровство' часто шире; для 'stealing' важен акт самого действия, а не статус вора.
- 'Stealing a glance' переводится идиоматически ('украдкой взглянуть'), а не дословно.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'stealing' as a main verb (e.g., 'He is stealing the car' is correct; using it as 'He stealing the car' is wrong).
- Confusing 'steal' (verb) with 'steel' (metal).
- Overusing in figurative contexts where 'taking' or 'gaining' is more appropriate.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a legal synonym for 'stealing'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In its core meaning, yes. However, in figurative language (stealing a kiss, stealing a base) it refers to a covert or swift action without criminal intent.
'Stealing' (theft) is the general act. 'Robbery' involves force or threat against a person. 'Burglary' involves illegal entry into a building to commit a crime.
Yes, in contexts like 'stealing the show' or 'stealing hearts', it means captivating attention or affection in a remarkably effective way.
Yes. 'Stealing' functions as a noun (The stealing of the painting was shocking). 'To steal' is the verb form (He planned to steal the painting).