de·spoil
di-ˈspȯi(-ə)l 
despoiled; despoiling; despoils
: to strip of belongings, possessions, or value : pillage
despoiler
noun
de·spoil·er
-ȯilə(r)
plural -s
: one that despoils
no criminal was thought to be worse than a despoiler of tombs
warning against Communism as the No. 1 despoiler of the democratic ideal—
Time
TimeExamples of despoil in a Sentence
Verb
The landscape has been despoiled by industrial development.
the burglars despoiled the art museum in search of treasures they thought they could sell to a fence
Recent Examples on the Web
Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Decades of despoiling water bodies have taken a terrible toll, filling water bodies with fetid algae that blocks sunlight and smothers the native seagrass beds that are a main food source for manatees.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Gaddis was an obscure state employee who was fired from his job last summer after leaking details of a secret plot by the DeSantis administration to despoil nine pristine Florida state parks with golf courses, pickleball courts and resort-style lodges — all to benefit his wealthy friends.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2025
Anderson prefers to characterize Loewe as a cultural brand rather than a luxury one, finding the latter term despoiled.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despoil
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Verb
In the 21st century, oil extraction has become a serious threat to Ecuadoran Amazonia, with large swaths of forest, often located in Indigenous territories, despoiled by the release of wastewater from the wells.
—Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Decades of despoiling water bodies have taken a terrible toll, filling water bodies with fetid algae that blocks sunlight and smothers the native seagrass beds that are a main food source for manatees.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Gaddis was an obscure state employee who was fired from his job last summer after leaking details of a secret plot by the DeSantis administration to despoil nine pristine Florida state parks with golf courses, pickleball courts and resort-style lodges — all to benefit his wealthy friends.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2025
Anderson prefers to characterize Loewe as a cultural brand rather than a luxury one, finding the latter term despoiled.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despoil
Cite this Entry
“Despoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despoil. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
despoil
verb
de·spoil
di-ˈspȯil
despoiler
noun
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