ransack

ransack

verb

Definition of RANSACK

1

to search through with the intent of committing robbery <it was clear that the thieves who had ransacked the museum were professionals—they bypassed most of the exhibits and went straight for the vaults>

Synonyms despoil, loot, maraud, pillage, plunder, sack

Related Words break in, burglarize, rip off, steal (from); comb, hunt, rake, rifle, rummage; harry, raid; ravish

2

to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something <I've ransacked the whole house for that bracelet you lent me and it's nowhere to be found>

Synonyms comb, dig (through), dredge, hunt (through), rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour, sort (through), troll

Related Words frisk, pat down, shake down; audit, check (out), examine, inspect, investigate, review, scan, scrutinize, survey; ascertain, descry, detect, determine, discover, ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, run down, scare up, track (down); grub (about), poke (around); explore, probe, prospect, skirmish, snoop; browse, glance (over), look over; peruse, study

Near Antonyms hide; abandon, lose; ignore, neglect