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
In another incident, a seemingly hungry crew pilfered 12 tons of KitKat bars.
—
Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
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
Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilfered
Verb
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After the second pitch, Joey Loperfido stole second base and Christian Walker scored on the play thanks to a throwing error by catcher Connor Wong.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Nestlé revealed that thieves stole 12 tons of KitKat products while the candy was in transit between the company’s factory in central Italy and its destination in Poland.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton on Saturday swiped his first base since 2020 as the team took care of the Miami Marlins, 9-7.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
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Boone made that comment after the Yankees’ swiped five bases on five attempts in Friday’s game.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pilfered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilfered. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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