pilfer
verb (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.
What’s more, China has a history of pilfering technology to get ahead: In 2025, one in five European companies in China said that Chinese firms had stolen technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Yes, using the DOJ’s website, users are pilfering software and documents from the Epstein files.
From Slate ● Feb. 3, 2026
He probably feels more awful about his after-hours pilfering than you do.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 24, 2025
A former United States Postal Service supervisor from Compton has admitted to being a serial mail thief, pilfering more than $300,000 worth of checks, gold and collectible currency while on the job, authorities said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2025
We both ended up acing the test, but that episode kind of took the excitement out of climbing and pilfering tests and pretty much everything else.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
