Definition of lootnext

loot

2 of 2

verb

as in to plunder
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the bandits looted the archaeological dig before riding off into the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun loot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of loot are booty, plunder, prize, spoils, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When could booty be used to replace loot?

While in some cases nearly identical to loot, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When might plunder be a better fit than loot?

In some situations, the words plunder and loot are roughly equivalent. However, plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of loot?

Although the words prize and loot have much in common, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

How do spoil and spoils relate to one another, in the sense of loot?

Spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

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 loot
Noun
That might be access to exclusive brand moments when founders come to visit, an exclusive beauty loot box only available at Bourke Street, which had 30,000 people flood in and queue up until it was totally gone. Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 May 2026 Yet tens of millions of dollars in loot were still making their way into the world’s most illustrious museums. Ariel Sabar, The Atlantic, 13 May 2026
Verb
Its main office in Caracas was looted by regime supporters while hundreds of party activists were jailed or fled the country. John Otis, NPR, 16 July 2026 Gran Grif operates in the country’s heartland, where dozens of houses were looted and burned and during a predawn assault in March in the town of Jean-Denis in the Lower Artibonite region. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for loot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loot
Noun
  • To the family’s lawyer, Markus Stötzel, the case is a typical example of Nazi plunder in need of immediate restoration.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
  • The second — a fastball Horwitz hit about 100 mph for a double to right field — was the start of a Pirate plunder at Sutter Health Park.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Police located a third gun and an undisclosed amount of cash inside of a bag in a closet, BPD said.
    Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 20 July 2026
  • Conforti, an energy consultant making her third run for Congress, had less than $23,000 in campaign cash as of June 30.
    Russell Lissau, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the country’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, after days of widespread protests against the removal of the country’s popular defense minister.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • He was sacked in October 2011 after just eleven games in charge, with the club’s board citing poor results and a lack of improvement in performances.
    Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • The Atocha, a Spanish treasure galleon, sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622 while carrying silver, gold and emeralds.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026
  • Vintage Clothes, Jewelry, and Watches Paxton says vintage clothes, jewelry, and watches are one of the top categories for hidden attic treasures worth big bucks.
    Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026
Noun
  • Villa’s desire to address this position has grown in prominence over the summer, with Jadon Sancho’s loan ending, Evann Guessand and Leon Bailey available to leave and Villa having the money to spend from Rogers’ sale.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Georgia voters should look twice before donating money to candidates this election season.
    Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • At a time when security measures were more relaxed, hard-up antique print dealer Robert Kindred spent the summer of 1980 pillaging rare books and antique illustrations from academic libraries nationwide.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026
  • Unfortunately, a group of eastern kings pillage Sodom and Gomorrah and take Lot captive along with others.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • The Thames holds innumerable coins, dress pins, and nails from the pre-industrial era.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • Heritage pointed to an ever-broadening universe of collectors entering through everything from Pokémon cards and vintage video games to sports memorabilia and coins.
    Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • Pride events are held today in San Diego to honor the Stonewall uprising of 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City and patrons fought back in a dayslong confrontation.
    Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • Bottoms was outspoken after the FBI raided a Fulton County election hub earlier this year in an area part of the greater Atlanta metro area.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loot. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on loot

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster