as in stole
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 purloined
Your duty to intervene increases with the value of the object and the likelihood it will be purloined.
—
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purloined
Verb
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Pullman also stole from the union on his own, the office said, using his position debit card to pay for items like a vacation to Miami and lunch of champagne and caviar in New York with his then-girlfriend.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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The story follows Jean Valjean, an embittered convict who stole bread to feed his sister’s starving family.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The traditional eyeliner was eschewed—a chunky black kajal swiped across the lid on one eye, then on the lower lash line on the other.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
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Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen swiped away the competition with a powerful final run in the Olympic giant slalom on Saturday, winning gold and earning South America's first-ever medal at a Winter Games.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purloined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purloined. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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