despoiled

past tense of despoil
as in plundered
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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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 despoiled One looks to the story of the Haitian World Cup team, appearing in the tournament for the first time in fifty years, which has gathered expatriate players from the Haitian diaspora to play for that beautiful and utterly despoiled country, where many of them have never lived. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despoiled
Verb
  • As long as the contents of a container have not been plundered outright, they can even be delivered to the recipient after an accident, albeit with some delay.
    Alexander Klose, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
  • The Stuttgart striker plundered two second-half goals, including a stoppage-time winner, to earn his side a place in the last 32.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • But Nolan also throws a meditative new wrinkle into the story, as Odysseus comes to grips with his role in the Trojan War, leading the charge as his men raped, murdered and pillaged in his name.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 July 2026
  • For decades, tomb raiders have pillaged sites across the country, selling them on the black market.
    Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • The sculptures were among 34 Southeast Asian antiquities voluntarily relinquished by the collector in 2021 after investigators determined they had been looted.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Weapons and gear will be looted throughout the run, but cannot be extracted.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • In July, the South African Football Association (SAFA) issued two separate statements, the first dismissing reports that Broos had been sacked from his role, with the second statement denying he had been offered a one-year contract extension.
    Leon Imber, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • People can and should be skeptical about the sonnets written about starting NFL quarterbacks every offseason, when no one is getting sacked and almost everyone looks good.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Despoiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despoiled. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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