kleptomaniac

IPA/ˌkleptəˈmeɪniæk/
KK[klˌɛptəmˈeniæk]IPA/ˌkleptəˈmeɪniæk/

kleptomaniac — noun

  • kleptomaniacsingular
  • kleptomaniacsplural

1. a person who keeps stealing because of an inner urge they cannot manage, not bec

1.名詞C2
釋義

a person who keeps stealing because of an inner urge they cannot manage, not because they need money

例句

Doctors said the teenager was a kleptomaniac, not a planned criminal.

contrast: compulsive stealing, not planned crime

At family dinners, everyone hid spare cash because Vivek was a kleptomaniac.

同義詞
  • thief

    broader everyday word for anyone who steals, without implying a mental health condition

  • shoplifter

    steals from stores specifically; may or may not steal because of compulsion

  • robber

    uses force or threats, unlike the compulsive stealing implied by kleptomaniac

  • pickpocket

    steals from pockets or bags in crowds; describes method rather than motivation

用法筆記

Usually used when repeated stealing is linked to a mental health condition or a loss of control, not for every ordinary thief.

常見錯誤

❌The armed man who threatened the cashier was a kleptomaniac.
✅The armed man who threatened the cashier was a robber.
💡'kleptomaniac' suggests compulsive stealing, while 'robber' focuses on force or threats.