What is steal? Pronunciation and usage in English

steal means . Learn how to pronounce and use steal through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of steal

stealverb

/stiːl/
Definition & pronunciation of steal

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "steal" in English. There are two common pronunciations, and they're subtly different:

1. The Most Common Pronunciation (American English):

  • ˈstiːl (This is the pronunciation you'll hear most often in the United States)

    • ˈstiː - The first part, "sti," is pronounced with a long "ee" sound, like in "see" or "tree." The stress is on this first syllable.
    • l - The "l" is pronounced as a clear, standard "l" sound.

2. The British Pronunciation:

  • stīl (This is the pronunciation you'll hear more frequently in the UK)

    • stī - This part is pronounced with a shorter "i" sound, similar to the "i" in "bit" or "sit." The stress is on this first syllable.
    • l - Again, the "l" is pronounced as a clear, standard "l."

Here's a quick guide to help you:

  • Think "see-l" (American) or "bit-l" (British)

Resources to hear the pronunciation:

To help me tailor the explanation, could you tell me:

  • Where are you learning English from (e.g., the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia)? Knowing your context will help me give you the most relevant pronunciation.

Usage and examples with the word steal in English

Let's break down how to use the word "steal" in English. It has several different meanings and uses, so it's important to understand the context. Here's a breakdown:

1. To Take Something Illegally (The Most Common Meaning)

  • Definition: To take something that doesn't belong to you without permission or right.
  • Examples:
    • "He stole my wallet." (He took it without permission.)
    • "The thieves stole jewels from the museum." (They illegally took valuable items.)
    • "Don't steal! It's wrong." (A direct prohibition against taking something without permission.)

2. To Obtain Something Quickly and Secretly (Often Used for Information or Advantage)

  • Definition: To get something quickly, often unexpectedly or without effort. This usage implies speed and sometimes a degree of deception.
  • Examples:
    • "He stole the winning goal at the last minute." (He scored unexpectedly, giving his team the victory.)
    • "She stole the show with her amazing performance." (She took the spotlight and was the most impressive.)
    • "The company stole the idea from a small startup." (They unfairly obtained a valuable concept.)

3. "Steal" as a Verb (To Take Something Quickly) - Less common, but still used, especially in informal speech.

  • Definition: Similar to the previous meaning, emphasizing swift action.
  • Examples:
    • "He stole a glance at her." (He quickly looked at her.)
    • "The dog stole the sausage off the counter." (He quickly grabbed it.)

4. "Steal" as a Noun (A Quick, Secret Take) - This is less frequent but important to know.

  • Definition: An act of taking something quickly and secretly.
  • Examples:
    • "It was a steal – I got it for half the price!" (Meaning it was a fantastic bargain.)
    • "The game was a steal; the value of the entertainment was far less than the cost." (Similar to the above - a good deal.)

5. Figurative Uses (Beyond Literal Theft)

  • "Steal someone's thunder": To take credit for someone else's idea or accomplishment.
    • "He stole my thunder by announcing the project before I could."
  • "Steal a kiss": To quickly and unexpectedly kiss someone.

Key Considerations & Nuances:

  • Tone: “Steal” can sound slightly negative, particularly when referring to taking something illegally. “Steal the show” is more celebratory.
  • Synonyms: Depending on the context, you can use words like: take, snatch, pilfer, appropriate, grab, acquire.

Let's do a quick exercise:

Choose the best word to complete each sentence: steal, take, snatch, appropriate

  1. The cat __________ the fish from the table.
  2. She __________ the lead in the play.
  3. The company __________ the patent from the smaller firm.
  4. Please __________ a seat if you need one.

Answers:

  1. snatched
  2. stole
  3. appropriated
  4. take

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of context are you trying to use "steal" in? (e.g., telling a story, writing a report, having a conversation?)

Synonyms for the word steal

Idioms of the word steal

steal a glance/look (at somebody/something)
to look at somebody/something quickly so that nobody sees you doing it
    steal somebody’s heart
    (literary)to make somebody fall in love with you
      steal a kiss (from somebody)
      (literary)to kiss somebody suddenly or secretly
        steal a march (on somebody)
        to gain an advantage over somebody by doing something before them
        • The company is looking at ways to steal a march on its European competitors.
        steal the show
        to attract more attention and praise than other people in a particular situation
        • As always, the children stole the show.
        • British bands stole the show at this year’s awards.
        steal somebody’s thunder
        to get the attention, success, etc. that somebody else was expecting, usually by saying or doing what they had intended to say or do

          Practice with vocabulary steal

          Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

          1. The employee was caught trying to ______ confidential client data from the company server.
          2. The unexpected market downturn threatened to ______ investor confidence in the new venture.
          3. The gallery was ______ of several valuable paintings by an organized crime group last night.
          4. Could I ______ your expertise on this matter before we finalize the report?

          Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

          1. Which of the following verbs describes the act of unlawfully taking someone's intellectual property, such as a patent or a design? a) Purchase b) Borrow c) Steal d) License

          2. Which action(s) could lead to severe legal penalties in a corporate environment? a) Conducting competitive analysis b) Stealing trade secrets c) Publicly criticizing a rival's product d) Appropriating proprietary software without authorization

          3. The new product launch aimed to ______ market share from established competitors through aggressive pricing. a) generate b) secure c) steal d) redistribute

          4. Which word best describes the act of taking money from a bank or a person using force or threat? a) Swindle b) Rob c) Defraud d) Shoplift

          5. Which word suggests taking small items, often repeatedly and without much notice, perhaps from a store or workplace? a) Extort b) Pilfer c) Confiscate d) Plunder

          Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

          1. The company discovered that a rival firm had unlawfully taken their proprietary software.

            • Rewrite, using a form of "steal":

          2. His impressive presentation managed to take away all the attention from the previous speaker.

            • Rewrite, using "steal":

          3. The hackers illegally gained access to thousands of customer records from the database.

            • Rewrite, without using "steal" or any of its forms:

          Answer:

          Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

          1. steal
          2. steal
          3. robbed
          4. borrow

          Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

          1. c) Steal
          2. b) Stealing trade secrets, d) Appropriating proprietary software without authorization
          3. c) steal
          4. b) Rob
          5. b) Pilfer

          Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

          1. The company discovered that a rival firm had stolen their proprietary software.
          2. His impressive presentation managed to steal the show from the previous speaker.
          3. The hackers illegally obtained thousands of customer records from the database.

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