Steal is a word with several meaningsdifferent senses or interpretations of a word or phrase. Most commonly, it means to take something that belongs to someone else without permissionofficial or allowed consent to do something. It can also mean to move quietly and secretly, or refer to a cheap deal, or a base run in baseballa sport played with a bat, ball, and bases.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /stil/
Easy pronunciation: STEEL (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, with the whole word stressed.
Verb meaning to take something without the owner’s consent.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Steal Meaning
to take something that does not belong to you
Part of speech: verb
Definition: take something without the owner’s consent
Example: Someone tried to steal my bike from outside the store.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- rip — Can mean to steal in informal speech, but it is slangy and less neutral than steal.
- rip off — Usually means to steal from or cheat someone, often in informal speech.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Steal
Meaning 2
to move quietly and secretly
Part of speech: verb
Definition: move stealthily
Example: She tried to steal past the sleeping dog.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- slip — Works when it means move quietly or unobtrusively.
Meaning 3
something bought at a very good price
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an advantageous purchase
Example: That jacket was a steal at half price.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bargain — A good-value purchase; a natural synonym in this sense.
- buy — Can mean a good deal, though it is less specific than bargain.
Meaning 4
in baseball, when a runner advances to the next base during a pitch
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a stolen base; an instance in which a base runner advances safely during the delivery of a pitch
Example: He had three steals in the game.
Meaning 5
to advance to the next base during a pitch
Part of speech: verb
Definition: steal a base
Example: The runner tried to steal second.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Steal Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- take
- thieve
- pilfer
move stealthily
- slip
an advantageous purchase
- bargain
- buy
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use steal to mean a cheap purchase in the verb sense; the noun 'a steal' is the deal meaning.
- In baseball, steal is a specialized term and should not be confused with the theft meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does steal mean?
Most often, steal means to take something that belongs to someone else without permission. It can also mean to move quietly, or in informal usage, a very good buy.
What are some synonyms for steal?
For the theft sense, informal synonyms include rip and rip off. For the quiet-movement sense, slip works well. For the noun meaning 'a good deal,' bargain is the closest synonym.
Is steal a noun or a verb?
Steal is usually a verb, but it can also be a noun meaning a very good deal or a baseball stolen base.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.