sack

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈsak 

1

: a usually rectangular-shaped bag (as of paper, burlap, or canvas)

2

: the amount contained in a sack

especially : a fixed amount of a commodity used as a unit of measure

3

a

: a woman's loose-fitting dress

b

: a short usually loose-fitting coat for women and children

c

: sacque sense 2

4

: dismissal

gave him the sack

5

a

: hammock, bunk

b

: bed

6

: a base in baseball

7

: an instance of sacking the quarterback in football

sackful

ˈsak-ˌfu̇l 

noun

sack

2 of 5

verb (1)

sacked; sacking; sacks

transitive verb

1

: to put in or as if in a sack

2

: to dismiss especially summarily

3

: to tackle (the quarterback) behind the line of scrimmage in football

sack

3 of 5

noun (2)

: any of several white wines imported to England from Spain and the Canary Islands during the 16th and 17th centuries

sack

4 of 5

verb (2)

sacked; sacking; sacks

transitive verb

1

: to plunder (a place, such as a town) especially after capture

2

: to strip of valuables : loot

sack

5 of 5

noun (3)

: the plundering of a captured town

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bag
• poke [chiefly Southern & Midland]
• pouch

Verb (1)

• ax
• axe
• bounce
• can
• cashier
• discharge
• dismiss
• fire
• muster out
• pink-slip
• release
• remove
• retire
• terminate
• turn off

Verb (2)

• despoil
• loot
• maraud
• pillage
• plunder
• ransack

Choose the Right Synonym for sack

ravage, devastate, waste, sack, pillage, despoil mean to lay waste by plundering or destroying.

ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction.

a hurricane ravaged the coast

devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.

an earthquake devastated the city

waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action.

years of drought had wasted the area

sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place.

barbarians sacked ancient Rome

pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack.

settlements pillaged by Vikings

despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction.

the Nazis despoiled the art museums

Examples of sack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Also Friday, Israel announced that two officers – a colonel and major – had been sacked, and three others including a general had been reprimanded, following a preliminary military investigation into the drone strikes on the convoy. —Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024

In a December 1974 playoff game between the Dolphins and Raiders, Oakland quarterback Ken Stabler -- with his team down 26-21 and 35 seconds left -- dropped back to pass and was flushed out of the pocket and nearly sacked by Dolphins defensive end Vern Den Herder. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024

Corbett, who is coming off his second major knee injury in as many seasons, will work between Hunt and new left guard Damien Lewis in hopes of creating a more protective pocket for second-year quarterback Bryce Young, who was sacked 62 times last season. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2024

Which towns and cities, exactly, have been sacked and plundered? —Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024

Both teams have endured bumpy roads to the championship match, particularly Ivory Coast, which sacked its manager mid-tournament after a disastrous group stage and has earned a reputation as an agent of chaos. —Sam Joseph, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024

The inability to protect Jackson was key in the AFC title game as Jackson was sacked four times and pressured several others. —Mike Preston, Baltimore Sun, 31 Jan. 2024

But the Chiefs were able to apply pressure, sacking Jackson four times – including a strip-sack in the first half by DE Charles Omenihu and another that killed a Ravens drive late in the third quarter. —Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2024

The Tesla boss retaliated by calling for Disney to sack its CEO and is funding a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against Disney filed by actress Gina Carano. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024

Noun

Simpson said the defense racked up more 30 sacks this year during Boise State’s 15 spring practices. —Ron Counts, Idaho Statesman, 21 Apr. 2024

Barrow had 36 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks in 12 games and 10 starts for the Spartans last season. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024

Robinson led the Tigers with 8.5 sacks with 14 tackles for loss this season. —Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2024

Shelton had 56 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and an interception as a sophomore on South Oak Cliff’s second consecutive Texas 5A D-II state championship. —Richard Davenport, arkansasonline.com, 15 Apr. 2024

The 6-foot-4, 289-pound defensive lineman led the Commodores in tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (5.5) with 30 tackles while starting 12 games last season. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Instead, keep babies warm with cozy pajamas or a sleep sack. —Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 4 Apr. 2024

Charles Harris: The former Dolphins first round bust has 10 sacks in the past three seasons with Detroit. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2024

Those three edge rushers combined for 26 sacks last season while making things considerably easier for every player around them. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English sak bag, sackcloth, from Old English sacc, from Latin saccus bag & Late Latin saccus sackcloth, both from Greek sakkos bag, sackcloth, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew śaq bag, sackcloth

Noun (2)

modification of Middle French sec dry, from Latin siccus; probably akin to Old High German sīhan to filter, Sanskrit siñcati he pours

Noun (3) and Verb (2)

Middle French sac, from Old Italian sacco, literally, bag, from Latin saccus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1532, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1549, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sack

• croker sack
• get the sack
• give (someone) the sack
• hit the sack
• sack coat
• sack out
• sack race
• sad sack
• tow sack

Kids Definition

sack

1 of 5 noun

ˈsak 

1

: a flexible container (as of paper) : bag

2

: sackful

3

: discharge from employment

—usually used with get or give

4

: bunk entry 1 sense 3, bed

sacklike

-ˌlīk

adjective

sack

2 of 5 verb

1

: to put in a sack

2

: dismiss sense 2, fire

sack

3 of 5 noun

: any of several white wines imported to England from Spain and the Canary Islands in the 16th and 17th centuries

sack

4 of 5 verb

1

: to loot after capture

2

: pillage entry 2, loot

sack

5 of 5 noun

: the looting of a captured town

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sak "bag, sackcloth," from early French sacc (same meaning), from Latin saccus "bag" and later Latin saccus "sackcloth," both from Greek sakkos "bag, sackcloth" — related to sack entry 4

Noun

from early French sec "dry to the taste, not sweet," from Latin siccus (same meaning)

Verb

from English sack "the action of looting," from early French sac (same meaning), from early Italian sacco, literally, "a bag," from Latin saccus "bag" — related to sack entry 1