as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
the studio stepped up security, fearing that someone might attempt to purloin a copy of the script for the show's season finale
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Recent Examples of purloin
Almost all of it was hearsay, rather than purloined documents.
—
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Thanks to the record-high energy prices that accompanied his assumption of power in 1999, Putin was able to personally purloin some $45 billion and still have enough money to raise the country’s standard of living, strengthen the Russian military, and keep his cronies happy.
—Alexander J. Motyl, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2015
At that time, 38,000 feet — roughly seven miles — of copper wire had been purloined from the 6th Street Bridge, probably fetching about $11,000, De León said.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024
As Bloomberg reports, Christie’s admits that some client information was taken in an attack earlier this month—which took the art-world titan’s website offline for 10 days—but says there’s no evidence of financial or transactional records having been purloined.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 28 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for purloin
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Thanks to the record-high energy prices that accompanied his assumption of power in 1999, Putin was able to personally purloin some $45 billion and still have enough money to raise the country’s standard of living, strengthen the Russian military, and keep his cronies happy.
—Alexander J. Motyl, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2015
At that time, 38,000 feet — roughly seven miles — of copper wire had been purloined from the 6th Street Bridge, probably fetching about $11,000, De León said.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024
As Bloomberg reports, Christie’s admits that some client information was taken in an attack earlier this month—which took the art-world titan’s website offline for 10 days—but says there’s no evidence of financial or transactional records having been purloined.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 28 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for purloin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purloin
steal
Verb
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And like the most recent case out of Iowa, stealing someone else’s flag to burn could also be criminal, the organization said.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
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Also starring Clooney in a leading role, The Monuments Men tells the true story of a group of museum curators, art historians and architects tasked with an unlikely mission: tracking down and recovering priceless works of art stolen by the Nazis before they’re destroyed forever.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purloin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purloin. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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