Pilfering is a dishonest activity, and many times, people use synonyms for the word "pilfers" to avoid any possible accusations of wrongdoing. Some common synonyms for "pilfers" include "steals," "swipes," "thieves," "lifts," "purloins," and "nicks." Other lesser-known synonyms for "pilfers" include "filches," "sneaks," "plunders," "preempts," "pinches," and "embezzles." While each synonym has a slightly different connotation, they all refer to the act of taking something without permission or right. In any case, it's always best to be honest and straightforward, rather than resorting to shady practices such as pilfering.