shoplifter

IPA/ˈʃɒplɪftə(r)/
KK[ʃˈɑplˌɪftɚ]IPA/ˈʃɑːplɪftər/

shoplifter — noun

  • shopliftersingular
  • shopliftersplural

1. an individual who takes merchandise from a store without paying, typically by co

1.nounB1
Definition

an individual who takes merchandise from a store without paying, typically by concealing the items

Example

Security guards at the mall watch for shoplifters near the jewelry counter every evening.

passive + 'watch for': shoplifters are watched / monitored

Mizuki watched a suspected shoplifter put perfume into her bag and walk out.

verb + object: watched a suspected shoplifter + do something

Common collocations
  • suspected shoplifter
  • caught shoplifter
  • known shoplifter
  • convicted shoplifter
  • shoplifter stole
Synonyms
  • thief

    broader term for anyone who steals; shoplifter specifies stealing from stores

  • kleptomaniac

    a person with a compulsive urge to steal, often due to a mental health condition; not all shoplifters are kleptomaniacs

  • pilferer

    less common, usually refers to someone who steals small items over time, not necessarily from a store

Antonyms

Usage Note

Distinguish from the related noun 'shoplifting', which refers to the criminal act itself (e.g. 'She was arrested for shoplifting'). 'Shoplifter' always refers to a person.

Common Mistakes

The police arrested him for shoplifter.
The police arrested him for shoplifting.
'shoplifter' is a person; 'shoplifting' is the act or crime.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe people who take things that do not belong to them, but they differ in context and method. 'Thief' is the most general term and covers any type of stealing. 'Shoplifter' is specific to stealing merchandise from a retail store, usually by hiding items and leaving without paying. 'Kleptomaniac' refers to someone who steals compulsively due to a psychological condition — not all shoplifters are kleptomaniacs, but a kleptomaniac may also be a shoplifter. 'Burglar' breaks into a building (often a home) to steal, and does not typically interact with store staff or customers. 'Pickpocket' steals directly from a person's pocket or bag in a crowd, which is different from the conceal-and-leave method of shoplifting. For example: a shoplifter hides a scarf in a shopping bag, a pickpocket lifts a wallet from a jacket on the bus, and a burglar enters a house through a window at night.

thief ↗shoplifter ↗kleptomaniac ↗burglar ↗pickpocket ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • caught shoplifting
  • suspected of shoplifting

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'shop' (a place where goods are sold) with 'lifter', from the older verb sense of 'to lift' meaning 'to steal'. The word dates back to the early 1600s in English. Someone who 'lifts' goods from a shop is therefore a 'shoplifter'.