steal

/stiːl/ (bre, ipa) · /stiːl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstēl/ (ame, mw)

steal — verb

  • stealpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • stealshe / she / it
  • stolepast simple
  • stolenpast participle
  • stealing-ing form

1. to take something that belongs to another person, without asking or getting perm

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to take something that belongs to another person, without asking or getting permission, and to keep it for yourself

例句

A thief stole Daniel's laptop from his bag on the crowded train.

steal + object + from + place/person

The police arrested two women who tried to steal jewellery from the shop.

同義詞
  • take

    broader, neutral word; does not imply illegality without context

  • swipe

    informal, suggests a quick or casual theft of something small

  • nick

    British slang, very informal, often for small items

  • pilfer

    formal, suggests stealing small amounts over time

反義詞
  • return

    to give back something that was taken

  • give

    to offer something willingly, not taking it

文法句型

steal + noun phrase

steal + noun phrase + from + person/place

用法筆記

Object is the item taken; the person or place you take from is introduced with 'from'. Cannot be used for taking people — use 'kidnap' instead.

常見錯誤

❌Someone robbed my phone on the bus.
✅Someone stole my phone on the bus.
💡'rob' is used for people or places ('rob a bank', 'rob a person'), not for the object taken.

2. to move or go somewhere with quiet, careful steps to avoid being seen or heard;

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to move or go somewhere with quiet, careful steps to avoid being seen or heard; or to do something like looking quickly without being noticed

例句

Caleb stole out through the back door while everyone was watching TV.

steal + directional adverb (out/away/off)

Valentina stole a glance at her watch during the long meeting.

同義詞
  • creep

    suggests slow, cautious movement; more common than 'steal' for this sense

  • sneak

    implies trying to avoid being seen, often with intent to do something

  • slip

    suggests quick, quiet movement, often through a narrow space

反義詞
  • stomp

    to walk heavily and noisily, the opposite of moving quietly

文法句型

steal + directional adverb (out/away/off)

steal + noun phrase (a glance/look)

用法筆記

Often used with directional adverbs (out, away, off, up) or in fixed expressions 'steal a glance' / 'steal a look'. Sounds slightly literary or narrative in tone.

常見錯誤

❌He stole into the bedroom without a sound' (if meaning 'he entered').
✅The sentence is in fact correct
💡'steal into' is a valid use of this sense, but sounds old-fashioned; modern English prefers 'slipped into' or 'crept into'.

3. in baseball, to run from one base to the next during the pitcher's delivery, rea

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

in baseball, to run from one base to the next during the pitcher's delivery, reaching the new base before the opposing team can put you out with a tag

例句

The shortstop successfully stole second base while the pitcher was winding up.

steal + base (second/third/home) in baseball

Hassan has stolen thirty bases this season, the most on his team.

文法句型

steal + base (second/third/home)

steal (no object)

用法筆記

Exclusively used in baseball. The base is named directly (second base, third base, home). 'Steal home' is rare and considered daring.

常見錯誤

❌The soccer player stole a base.
✅The baseball player stole a base.
💡This sense is baseball-only; it does not apply to other sports.

4. in team ball sports, to grab the ball from someone on the opposing side, so your

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

in team ball sports, to grab the ball from someone on the opposing side, so your team gains control of it

例句

Sari stole the ball from the defender and quickly passed it to a teammate.

steal the ball + from + opponent in sports

Christopher stole the basketball near the three-point line and drove for a layup.

同義詞
  • intercept

    more formal, implies taking a passed ball rather than taking it from someone's hands

  • take

    neutral; 'steal' adds the connotation of surprise and skill

反義詞
  • turn over

    to lose possession of the ball to the other team

文法句型

steal + the ball + from + opponent

用法筆記

Common in basketball, rugby, American football, and soccer. Not used in net sports like tennis or volleyball. 'Steal' as a noun (sports statistic) is related to this sense.

常見錯誤

❌He stole the ball from his teammate.
✅He stole the ball from an opponent.
💡In sports, 'steal' is only used for taking from the opposing team, not your own team.

5. to draw the greatest amount of attention and praise during a performance or even

5.動詞及物B1
釋義

to draw the greatest amount of attention and praise during a performance or event, leaving the other participants with less notice than you

例句

The young dancer stole the show with her amazing and energetic performance.

steal the show / steal the scene / steal the spotlight

Sofie's funny speech about her travels stole the attention from the main guest.

同義詞
  • outshine

    more formal, means to perform better than others

  • upstage

    originally a theater term for moving behind another actor to draw focus

反義詞
  • blend in

    to not attract attention; to fit in with the crowd

文法句型

steal the show/scene/spotlight

用法筆記

Used in fixed phrases: 'steal the show', 'steal the scene', 'steal the spotlight', 'steal the limelight'. The subject is usually a performer, dish, or element that was not expected to be the main focus.

常見錯誤

❌The comedian stole the show from the theater.
✅The comedian stole the show at the theater.
💡'steal the show' is not about taking a physical object; it means getting the most attention.

steal — noun