“steal”

To steal small items repeatedly or in petty amounts.

“She pilfered coins from the collection jar whenever the librarian turned away.”

Best for: Works well for petty, habitual theft; slightly elevated but widely understood.

To steal something, especially in a sneaky or casual manner.

“He purloined the letter from her desk before she even noticed it had arrived.”

Best for: Literary and slightly arch; favored in detective fiction and formal prose.

To steal something casually or in a small-scale, opportunistic way.

“The rascal filched a warm roll right off the baker's tray and vanished into the crowd.”

Best for: Punchy and informal; great for colorful, vivid storytelling with a light tone.

To embezzle or fraudulently appropriate money or property entrusted to one's care.

“The treasurer had been quietly peculating funds for years before the audit exposed him.”

Best for: Best for financial or institutional contexts; formal and rarely used in casual speech.

To remove or steal something discreetly, often used as a euphemism.

“The spy managed to abstract the documents from the vault without triggering a single alarm.”

Best for: A subtle literary euphemism; powerful in spy or thriller narratives for cold precision.

An old slang term meaning to steal or pilfer, especially cloth or scraps by tailors.

“The apprentice would cabbage offcuts of fine silk to sell at the market on weekends.”

Best for: Delightfully obscure historical slang; ideal for period fiction or surprising readers.