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
Many of the things that happen in this film have happened for real, and they’re pilfered from actual F1 events.
—
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 Mar. 2026
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
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilfered
Verb
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Sanoja then stole second base midway through the next at-bat.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
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Back in early 2025, thieves reportedly stole some 40 of the 80 bronze sidewalk plaques — – honoring many of the greatest blues/R&B artists in Bay Area history — from the ground.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An adult black bear swiped a woman with its claw on Saturday in Monrovia in what police described as an unusual incident.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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The bear swiped its claw toward her at one point, hitting the back of her knee.—
Lauren Pozen,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pilfered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilfered. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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