as in to plunder
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the burglars despoiled the art museum in search of treasures they thought they could sell to a fence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb despoil contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of despoil are devastate, pillage, ravage, sack, and waste. While all these words mean "to lay waste by plundering or destroying," despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction.

the Nazis despoiled the art museums

In what contexts can devastate take the place of despoil?

The words devastate and despoil can be used in similar contexts, but devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.

an earthquake devastated the city

How are the words pillage and sack related as synonyms of despoil?

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

settlements pillaged by Vikings

When can ravage be used instead of despoil?

The meanings of ravage and despoil largely overlap; however, ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction.

a hurricane ravaged the coast

When is it sensible to use sack instead of despoil?

The words sack and despoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place.

barbarians sacked ancient Rome

When could waste be used to replace despoil?

Although the words waste and despoil have much in common, waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action.

years of drought had wasted the area

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of despoil But that hasn’t dissuaded some people in the Middle East and North Africa from doing to rivers what others all over the globe have done to theirs: despoil and deplete them. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023 The monument, situated along the Arizona Strip, aims to protect the Grand Canyon from more uranium mining, which Native Americans said would despoil many sacred ancestral sites, leach into aquifers and threaten water supplies. Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023 In stark contrast to the sensible environmental policies of his Republican predecessors, Watt’s policy enthusiasms included drilling, clear-cutting, despoiling public lands, and shredding environmental regulations. Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 16 June 2023 This urge to despoil images of the unpopular goes a long way toward explaining why so many statues of Nero lost their heads, said Eric R. Varner, professor of classics and art history at Emory University. Graham Bowley, New York Times, 12 June 2023 See All Example Sentences for despoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despoil
Verb
  • One night, the cemetery is plundered; graves are tipped over, their wi-fi connections disabled.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 June 2025
  • While pestilence crept over the walls of cities and the countryside fell into desolation—many foreign conquerors of Europe knew how to fight and plunder but not to plow or sow—the monks preserved words.
    Bernd Roeck June 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Noni finds him in Crete, where Lion’s crew of pirates, assembled from fighters from around the world, are currently pillaging and enslaving a town.
    Kambole Campbell, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • Angry over the tagless intruders' prior antics in pillaging their resources, a horde of players descend upon the USS Callister crew, who flee while digital Nanette makes her way to the engine in the hopes of finding a solve.
    Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Eight days later, in a game relocated to Glendale, Ariz., because of deadly wildfires in Southern California, Darnold was sacked nine times and had two turnovers (including a fumble returned for touchdown) in a 27-9 loss.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • Nix turned the ball over just eight times and was sacked 20 times in those final 13 games.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • On Wednesday, aid reached Gaza’s main city for the first time since March after deliveries were plagued by looting and coordination issues between aid agencies and the Israeli military.
    Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • The statues, stolen from Benin City in modern-day Nigeria, were looted by British troops at the end of the 19th century and sold on to museums across Europe.
    Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Despoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despoil. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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