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pilfering

ADJECTIVE
larcenous
Synonyms
STRONGEST
crooked rapacious
STRONG
criminal cunning
WEAK
dishonest fraudulent furtive kleptomaniacal light-fingered piratic plunderous predatory secretive sly spoliative stealthy sticky-fingered
ADJECTIVE
thieving
Synonyms
STRONG
crooked cunning larcenous
WEAK
dishonest fraudulent furtive kleptomaniacal light-fingered piratic plunderous predatory rapacious secretive sly spoliative stealthy sticky-fingered thievish
Antonyms
WEAK
benevolent philanthropic
ADJECTIVE
thieving/thievish
Synonyms
WEAK
crooked cunning dishonest fraudulent furtive kleptomaniacal larcenous light-fingered piratic plunderous predatory rapacious secretive sly spoliative stealthy sticky-fingered
Antonyms
WEAK
benevolent philanthropic
ADJECTIVE
thievish
Synonyms
WEAK
crooked cunning dishonest fraudulent furtive kleptomaniacal larcenous light-fingered piratic plunderous predatory rapacious secretive sly spoliative stealing stealthy sticky-fingered
NOUN
appropriation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
confiscation embezzlement expropriation misappropriation
STRONG
grab seizure takeover taking usurpation
Antonyms
WEAK
bestowal giving return
NOUN
embezzlement
Synonyms
STRONGEST
fraud larceny misappropriation misuse theft
STRONG
abstraction appropriation defalcation misapplication peculation pilferage skimming thieving
WEAK
filching purloining
Antonyms
WEAK
compensation pay reimbursement return
NOUN
larceny
Synonyms
STRONGEST
burglary misappropriation robbery
STRONG
crime lift pinch steal stealing thievery thieving touch
WEAK
purloining
Antonyms
STRONG
lot
NOUN
pilferage
Synonyms
STRONG
burglary crime lift misappropriation pinch robbery steal stealing theft thievery thieving touch
WEAK
purloining
Antonyms
STRONG
lot
NOUN
theft
Synonyms
STRONGEST
break in burglary crime embezzlement extortion fraud heist holdup larceny looting mugging piracy robbery shoplifting thievery vandalism
STRONG
annexation appropriation caper cheating deprivation grab hustle job lift peculation pilferage pillage pinch plunder racket rapacity ripoff score snatch snitch steal stickup swindle thieving touch
WEAK
defrauding purloining robbing swindling swiping
Antonyms
STRONG
bestowal gift giving offering
WEAK
return
NOUN
thievery
Synonyms
STRONG
burglary larceny robbery stealing thievishness
WEAK
filching

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.

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

The pilfering of back-row twins Tom and Ben Curry and England's scrum supremacy, combined with some Scottish inaccuracy, kept the scoreline from having a similarly lop-sided look.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2025

Later, as the team fell into arrears on pool rent payments, we learned that Stovall was accused of pilfering funds.

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2024

But Aragon is a little lock-crazy: He has screwed a tiny hasp onto his plastic lunch box and hangs a combination lock there, because of the sodas he’s lost to pilfering officers, he says.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover