purloining 1 of 2

noun

as in pilfering

Related Words

Relevance

purloining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of purloin
as in stealing
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purloining
  1. pilfering
  2. stealing
  3. shoplifting
  4. kidnapping
Noun
  • In the second novel of the Amina al-Sirafi fantasy series, Chakraborty sets her pirate protagonist out onto the high seas for some perilous pilfering after being dragged into her partner’s problems.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
Definition of pilfering
Verb
  • The team views stealing bags, however, as a different equation, an entirely different part of baseball philosophy.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Two individuals accused of stealing over $5,000 worth of music equipment from a Citrus Heights high school have been arrested after police requested the community’s help.
    — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of stealing
Noun
  • Officers who responded to a shoplifting call encountered two adults allegedly fleeing from the store with a child and going into a vehicle, according to bureau.
    — Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The police chief of a Mississippi city where 1-year-old Kohen Wiley was shot and killed by police responding to a shoplifting call in June was fired Tuesday.
    — Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of shoplifting
Noun
  • In a mountain hamlet, avocado farming lifted once-poor families into the middle class, but opened the door to cartel extortion, kidnapping and fear.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The driver was found guilty at trial in June of kidnapping, rape and forcible penetration by use of a foreign object.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of kidnapping
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

purloiners
purloining
purloins
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Purloining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purloining. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stigma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All