as in stole
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
what sort of person would pilfer lunches from the office refrigerator?
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Recent Examples of pilfered
As when just standing in the Mingus Quick Stop parking lot and squinting down the street at lifting dust while overhearing from within the most mysterious conversation about missing Little Debbie Honey Buns—not stolen, gradually pilfered, but just missing.
—
David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Wednesday brings the Rule 5 Draft, when eligible prospects can be selected by any of the 30 teams and effectively pilfered from rival organizations.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
The tokens were pilfered from the LuBian Bitcoin mining pool in December 2020.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
This is not the first time public art has been pilfered in San Jose.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Every detail is pilfered from the lives of people around me, or from my own.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Small bulbs like crocus are probably the most commonly pilfered.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Oct. 2025
The tale is pilfered from the Aeneid, but Virgil would blench to see the curtain rise on Jupiter, dandling Ganymede, a beautiful boy, upon his knee.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Though proceeds have boosted the country’s economy, some opposition leaders say much of it has been wasted or pilfered.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025
David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Wednesday brings the Rule 5 Draft, when eligible prospects can be selected by any of the 30 teams and effectively pilfered from rival organizations.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
The tokens were pilfered from the LuBian Bitcoin mining pool in December 2020.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
This is not the first time public art has been pilfered in San Jose.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Every detail is pilfered from the lives of people around me, or from my own.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Small bulbs like crocus are probably the most commonly pilfered.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Oct. 2025
The tale is pilfered from the Aeneid, but Virgil would blench to see the curtain rise on Jupiter, dandling Ganymede, a beautiful boy, upon his knee.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Though proceeds have boosted the country’s economy, some opposition leaders say much of it has been wasted or pilfered.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilfered
Verb
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And at the country mansion of Blenheim Palace, where Winston Churchill was born, a thief stole a golden toilet in 2018.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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James notched his fifth and final score in the third quarter, and the Heights’ defense stole the show, preventing Paschal from scoring until late in the fourth quarter.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sophomore forward Billy Richmond III swiped the ball away from sophomore guard Christian Anderson, tumbled to the floor and passed ahead to Acuff, who completed a three-point play after he was fouled by Lejuan Watts on the layup.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
13 Dec. 2025
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At the end of last week’s episode, the ladies’ investigation reached a real breakthrough when Julian swiped a cache of information related to Jacobson-Moore’s Australia retreat.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pilfered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilfered. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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