Collocations for "thief"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "thief" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
thief
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- [a professional, an amateur] thief
- makes his living as a thief
- [arrested, caught, apprehended, convicted] the thief
- the thief [ran off, got away]
- the thief broke [the window, into the house]
- a thief [grabbed, stole, pinched] her bag
- an infamous [jewel, art] thief
- a petty thief
- is not a very good thief
- a [band, group, gang] of thieves
- idiom: there is honor among thieves
- idiom: are as thick as thieves
'thief' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bag
- bait
- cohort
- collar
- crafty
- creep
- cunning
- elbow
- glimpse
- haul
- hazard
- jail
- jewel
- lever
- loot
- lousy
- lying
- mask
- miserable
- nowhere
- partner
- petty
- pocket
- print
- prior
- prison
- procrastination
- purse
- pursuit
- river
- run
- safe
- slash
- snag
- string
- swipe
- tackle
- trust
- valuables
- wallet
- way
- whisk