1
as in to plunder
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 & Similar Words
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2
as in to search
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 book you lent me and it's nowhere to be found
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ransack
In 2011, thieves ransacked the Yangs’ house, hunting for their property deed.
—
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
After a treacherous night in which Daryl had to remove a piece of metal from Carol’s shoulder and the boat was ransacked by equestrians in bull-horn masks, the twosome put the walking back in The Walking Dead.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 7 Sep. 2025
Protests intensified over the weekend, with rioters targeting the homes of lawmakers, ransacking and looting properties, and burning government buildings, according to media reports.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
More than a thousand fires burned, and more than a thousand shops were ransacked.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
After a treacherous night in which Daryl had to remove a piece of metal from Carol’s shoulder and the boat was ransacked by equestrians in bull-horn masks, the twosome put the walking back in The Walking Dead.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 7 Sep. 2025
Protests intensified over the weekend, with rioters targeting the homes of lawmakers, ransacking and looting properties, and burning government buildings, according to media reports.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
More than a thousand fires burned, and more than a thousand shops were ransacked.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransack
Verb
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While plundering a dungeon lair and stealing artifacts from a museum both have heist elements to them, Skullduggery looks into the other intrigues of adventures in urban environments.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The towns of Harrisonville, Butler and Osceola were plundered during Bleeding Kansas.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The cooler will be searched and tagged at the gate.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Oct. 2025
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The private archeological company exclusively searches for treasure and artifacts from the 1715 Treasure Fleet, a fleet of Spanish ships that sank off the coast of Florida in 1715 while carrying massive amounts of precious cargo, per the organization’s official website.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, members of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition had pillaged and/or burned at least 410 residences and other buildings, including six schools, health centers and local nongovernmental organizations during the period.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
11 Aug. 2025
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After the Broncos’ frontmen pillaged San Francisco for the better part of two hours, Castle Rock native and 49er Christian McCaffrey stood in front of reporters and confirmed what Denver’s offense has known for a few months.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Drivers from outside of Finneytown, using GPS to find Dutch Bros, don't know alternate routes to the store.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
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Analyzing its grocery orders that included candy in 2024, Instacart found each state's Halloween candy preferences.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Notre Dame fell 27-24 to Miami in the season opener, when Carr was sacked three times.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Oct. 2025
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Being sacked by Chelsea and then West Ham in less than three years is slightly different to winning league and European trophies and being a statue-level hero at three different clubs, or taking England to two major finals and making the national team likeable again.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In recent years, objects looted from Benin City by British soldiers in 1897 — commonly known as Benin Bronzes — have been returned to Nigeria, Asante artifacts have been returned to Ghana, and France has sent colonial-era skulls back to Madagascar.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said the casualties include protesters and bystanders killed by members of the security forces, but also others killed in subsequent widespread violence and looting by individuals and gangs not associated with the protesters.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Elsewhere during Last Week Tonight, Oliver discussed the prevalence of grassroots pushback toward ICE agents who show up to raid and disturb neighborhoods.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
5 Oct. 2025
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The list of items that authorities found when his house was raided in 1957 is pure nightmare fuel, including a wastebasket made of human skin, bowls made from skulls, a belt made of nipples, a lampshade created from a human face, and nine vulvas in a shoebox.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ransack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransack. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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