- the past participle of steal
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
sto•len
(stō′lən),USA pronunciation v.
- pp. of steal.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
stolen /ˈstəʊlən/ vb
steal /stil/USA pronunciation
v., stole/stoʊl/USA pronunciation sto•len, steal•ing, n.
v.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v.
- to take (the property of another) without permission or right, esp. secretly or by force: [~ + object]Someone stole my dad's car last night.[no object]The two brothers were always stealing from each other.
- [~ + object] to take and use (ideas, credit, etc.) without right or acknowledgment.
- to take or win secretly, quickly, or without others' knowing or seeing:[~ + object]He stole my girlfriend.
- to move or (cause to) go secretly or quietly: [no object]He stole away into the night.[~ + object]She stole the dog upstairs at bedtime.
- to pass, happen, etc., gradually or with little notice:[no object]The years steal by.
- Sport[Baseball.](of a base runner) to reach (a base) safely by running while the ball is being pitched to the player at bat: [~ + object]He'll steal third base if he gets the chance.[no object]Will he steal if he gets the chance?
n. [countable]
- Informal Termssomething bought at a cost far below its real value;
a bargain:What a steal: a genuine antique that was only five bucks! - Sport[Baseball.]the act of advancing a base by stealing.
- Idioms steal someone's thunder:
- to accept credit for another's work.
- to remove attention from another's achievement by some action that anticipates it.
- Idioms steal the scene or show:
- to take credit for something unfairly.
- to be more outstanding than anyone or anything else:The newcomer stole the show and received a standing ovation.
steal (stēl),USA pronunciation
v., stole, sto•len, steal•ing, n.
v.t.
v.i.
n.
steal′a•ble, adj.
steal′er, n.
v.t.
- to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, esp. secretly or by force:A pickpocket stole his watch.
- to appropriate (ideas, credit, words, etc.) without right or acknowledgment.
- to take, get, or win insidiously, surreptitiously, subtly, or by chance:He stole my girlfriend.
- to move, bring, convey, or put secretly or quietly;
smuggle (usually fol. by away, from, in, into, etc.):They stole the bicycle into the bedroom to surprise the child. - Sport[Baseball.](of a base runner) to gain (a base) without the help of a walk or batted ball, as by running to it during the delivery of a pitch.
- Gamesto gain (a point, advantage, etc.) by strategy, chance, or luck.
- to gain or seize more than one's share of attention in, as by giving a superior performance:The comedian stole the show.
v.i.
- to commit or practice theft.
- to move, go, or come secretly, quietly, or unobserved:She stole out of the house at midnight.
- to pass, happen, etc., imperceptibly, gently, or gradually:The years steal by.
- Sport[Baseball.](of a base runner) to advance a base without the help of a walk or batted ball.
- steal someone's thunder, to appropriate or use another's idea, plan, words, etc.
n.
- Informal Termsan act of stealing;
theft. - Informal Termsthe thing stolen;
booty. - Informal Termssomething acquired at a cost far below its real value;
bargain:This dress is a steal at $40. - Sport[Baseball.]the act of advancing a base by stealing.
- bef. 900; 1860–65 for def. 5; Middle English stelen, Old English stelan; cognate with German stehlen, Old Norse stela, Gothic stilan
steal′er, n.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
steal /stiːl/ vb (steals, stealing, stole, stolen)
- to take (something) from someone, etc without permission or unlawfully, esp in a secret manner
- (transitive) to obtain surreptitiously
- (transitive) to appropriate (ideas, etc) without acknowledgment, as in plagiarism
- to move or convey stealthily: they stole along the corridor
- (intransitive) to pass unnoticed: the hours stole by
- (transitive) to win or gain by strategy or luck, as in various sports: to steal a few yards
- the act of stealing
- something stolen or acquired easily or at little cost
'stolen' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bent
- boodle
- duff
- fence
- furtive
- ghoul
- handling
- hot
- identity
- joyride
- lock
- loot
- Nibelung
- ram raid
- receive
- receiver
- reset
- restitution
- restore
- restoration
- reward
- ring
- ringer
- rip off
- rubato
- search warrant
- steal
- stick to
- stolen generation
- theft
- waif
- walk
- chop shop
- cost
- deposit
- getaway
- Golden Fleece
- good
- goose
- joker
- kick
- loss
- mainour
- outsteal
- palm
- peterman
- plant
- Prometheus
- Pryderi
- re-cover