stolen: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal
Quick answer
What does “stolen” mean?
Past participle of 'steal': taken without permission or right.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past participle of 'steal': taken without permission or right.
Used to describe something taken unlawfully, or metaphorically to mean appropriated, copied without credit, or wrongfully obtained.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use 'stolen' identically.
Connotations
Identical connotations of illegality and wrongdoing.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “stolen” in a Sentence
NP₁ [have] stolen NP₂ (from NP₃)NP₂ [be] stolen (from NP₃)NP₁ [get] NP₂ stolenVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stolen” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The jewellery has been stolen from the safe.
- He admitted he had stolen the biscuits from the tin.
American English
- Her purse was stolen at the mall.
- Someone had stolen the tires right off his truck.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The stolen intellectual property caused significant financial loss.'
Academic
'The concept of stolen valour was analysed in the sociological study.'
Everyday
'My phone was stolen from my bag on the bus.'
Technical
'The system detected stolen credentials attempting to access the server.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stolen”
- *My wallet is stolen yesterday. (Incorrect tense; use 'was stolen')
- *He stolen my pen. (Missing auxiliary verb; use 'has stolen')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for non-physical things like ideas, data, time ('stolen moments'), or attention ('stolen thunder').
Yes, when placed before a noun (e.g., 'stolen property', 'stolen goods'), it functions as an adjective.
'Stolen' refers to the thing taken. 'Robbed' refers to the person or place something is taken from (e.g., 'My wallet was stolen' vs. 'I was robbed').
steal (present), stole (past simple), stolen (past participle).
Past participle of 'steal': taken without permission or right.
Stolen is usually neutral to formal in register.
Stolen: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstəʊlən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstoʊlən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stolen thunder (to take attention from someone)”
- “stolen goods never prosper”
- “stolen fruit is sweetest”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
STOlen rhymes with 'BROken' – both describe things in a wrong state.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRONGDOING IS TAKING. Possession gained through illicit action.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'stolen' correctly?