What does steal mean?
Steal means to take something that belongs to someone else without permission, especially property, money, or information. The word often suggests dishonest or unauthorized conduct, though it can also describe taking time, attention, or an opportunity for oneself. In phrases such as “steal someone’s thunder,” it means to gain attention or credit at another person’s expense; in baseball, “stealing a base” refers to advancing safely without the ball being thrown to the fielder. Steal is a familiar and flexible verb with both figurative and sporting uses. Its strong association with theft makes it immediately memorable, while its broader idiomatic uses show how language can turn wrongdoing into a description of quickness, audacity, or social rivalry.
verbTo take someone’s property, money, or information without their permission or entitlement. It can also mean to take time, attention, or an opportunity for oneself, or to advance illegally to a base in baseball.
- To take another person’s property, money, or information without permission or entitlement.
- To take time, attention, an opportunity, or credit for oneself, especially in a way that deprives someone else.
- In baseball, to advance to a base without being put out by the fielder’s throw or tag.
"The thief tried to steal the unattended bicycle from outside the shop."
"He was accused of trying to steal confidential information from the company."
"Her performance stole the show and left the other finalists in the background."
"The runner broke for third and stole the base with an excellent jump."
In baseball, a steal is a theft so discreet that the runner reaches base before the fielder can tag him—turning an illegal word into a legal play.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of steal
Steal comes from Old English stelan, meaning “to take away, rob, or carry off,” which developed from a Germanic root also preserved in cognates such as Dutch stelen, German stehlen, Swedish stjäla, and Danish stjæle. The modern form retains the basic sense of taking something without authorization, while figurative meanings concerning time, credit, and attention developed later.
Related word forms
How steal is actually used
The word is commonly used in both legal and illegal contexts, but it often carries a stronger implication of wrongdoing than “take.” In informal and sporting contexts, it can also suggest clever, quick, or daring action, as in “steal a base” or “steal the show.”
Easily confused with steal
Steal is a verb meaning to take something without permission, whereas steel is a tough metal and, as a verb, to equip something with steel.
Steal means to take something unlawfully, while a stile is a structure allowing people to cross a fence or wall.