pilfer
verb (used with or without object)
to steal, especially in small quantities.
pilfered
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past participleof pilfer.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof pilfer.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
pilferverb (used with or without object)to steal, especially in small quantities.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Setup: After Woody gets pilfered by a toy dealer, he discovers he’s part of a rare vintage set that includes Jessie and a horse named Bullseye.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
After 56 minutes the Murrayfield crowd, still euphoric after Huw Jones' second try, were halfway through a rendition of Flower of Scotland, when Rory Darge pilfered a turnover inside his own 22m.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
Instead of using the financing for the benefit of the company, James “secretly pilfered some of the company’s assets to fund his and his family’s lavish lifestyle,” the complaint alleges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025
The heavy and double-walled steel structure of the machine is also less likely to be pilfered from than stores with ammunition sitting on an open shelf.
From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2024
Filled the hog trough and walked through the pickers’ cabins to see that they hadn’t relieved themselves in pilfered canning jars.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
