Definition

1. Noun:
   • A mental disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to steal items, typically without economic need or personal use: Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder where a person experiences recurrent failures to resist impulses to steal objects that are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value.

Usage

• Kleptomania is used as a singular, uncountable noun to describe the condition itself.
• It is a clinical term used in psychology, psychiatry, and legal contexts.
• Example: "The defense attorney argued that his client's actions were driven by kleptomania, not criminal intent."

Examples

• Noun:
  • She was diagnosed with kleptomania after repeatedly stealing trivial items like pens and lip balm.
  • The store's security was familiar with the signs of kleptomania.
  • His kleptomania created significant distress and legal problems for him.

Advanced Usage

• "Suffer from kleptomania": To be afflicted with this disorder.
  • He has suffered from kleptomania since adolescence.
• "Driven by kleptomania": Used to describe actions motivated by this compulsion.
  • The thefts appeared to be driven by kleptomania rather than greed.

Variants and Related Words

• Kleptomaniac (noun): A person who has kleptomania.
  • The kleptomaniac felt profound shame after each episode.

Synonyms

• Compulsive stealing: The act of stealing driven by an irresistible impulse.
• Pathological stealing: Stealing that is part of a psychological disorder.

Different Meanings

• This word has a single, specific clinical meaning related to a psychological impulse control disorder. It is not used informally to describe ordinary theft.

Idioms

• There are no common idioms that use the word "kleptomania" itself. The condition is typically discussed in literal, clinical terms.

Noun

1. an irresistible impulse to steal in the absence of any economic motive