sneak thief

noun

1. a burglar who sneaks into houses through open doors, windows, etc.

sneak thief

noun

1. a person who steals paltry articles from premises, which he enters through open doors, windows, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of sneak thief¹

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Example Sentences

“A lowlife sneak thief,” he railed on the app Nextdoor, informing his neighbors of the incident.

From New York Times

I crept back into the basement like a highly skilled sneak thief and then proceeded to listen to the most calming music I know: the Beatles.

From Literature

I stare at the names and I think about how I got them, and I'm not proud of myself for being a sneak thief.

From Literature

Kasich is a sneak thief, crushing unions and sticking obstacles to abortion into unrelated bills while he claims to be a moderate.

From New York Times

He found that slipping about the street under cover like a sneak thief was much against his grain, and he was nervous.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• thief