Meaning & use
pilfer
Last updated
UK/ˈpɪlfə/
US/ˈpɪlfər/
Meaning
verbtransitive or intransitive
To steal small amounts, often repeatedly and without being noticed.
Grammar: Can be used with an object (pilfer money) or without (he was caught pilfering).
Patterns
- pilfer something
- pilfer from someone/something
- pilfer money/goods
She was caught pilfering office supplies from the cupboard.
Someone had been pilfering from the cash register for weeks.
He pilfered a few coins from his mother's purse.
Word forms
| third person singular | pilfers |
|---|---|
| past tense | pilfered |
| past participle | pilfered |
| -ing form | pilfering |
Common combinations
- pilfer from
- The employee pilfered from the till.
- pilfer money
- He pilfered money from the donation box.
- pilfer supplies
- Staff were pilfering supplies from the stockroom.
- petty pilfering
- Petty pilfering is a common problem in retail.
Synonyms and how they differ
- steal
- Steal is the general word for taking something that is not yours; pilfer is more specific and suggests small, repeated thefts.
- filch
- Filch is similar to pilfer but slightly more informal and often suggests a quick, sneaky action.
- swipe
- Swipe is informal and can mean steal quickly, often without the repeated, small-scale sense of pilfer.
Word family
- pilferage noun
- The act or practice of pilfering, especially in a workplace or store.
- pilferer noun
- A person who pilfers.
Commonly confused: pilfer or plifer?
pilfer vs plifer
A common misspelling; the correct spelling is pilfer with one l.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
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Pilfer is often used with from to show the source: pilfer from someone/something. The other prepositions do not fit this pattern.
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