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
Loyalty over loot Missouri State was the first school to believe in him. Latif Love july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026 Toek Tik did not know exactly where his loot ended up after leaving Cambodia. Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Verb
Militants affiliated with the Islamic State group attacked a village in Congo near the border with Uganda early Saturday, killing at least 13 people and burning and looting homes, a local civil society group said. ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026 In addition to missile targeting, Russia has also looted thousands of Ukrainian cultural objects since the beginning of the war. News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 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
  • The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 from Artemis Rising Foundation.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Offer is nontransferable, subject to availability, and has no cash value.
    The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Lee Johnson After I got sacked from Fleetwood Town in 2023, I was basically cancelled in a football sense.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Bladow was sacked four times in the first half, and Rand blocked a punt that bounced out of the end zone for a safety in the second quarter in a demonstrative 18-0 shutout for Chaminade in its home opener.
    Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Hong Kong — There’s a plucky little Qing Dynasty artifact that at first glance looks out of place among China’s many Forbidden City treasures.
    Stephy Chung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Jabara family loaded themselves and their treasure of berries into Sam’s black Dodge truck and headed back toward Mancelona.
    Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Commissioners say that the ruling will actually save consumers money in the long run, and that the more efficient tires are better for the environment.
    Tom Wait, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If the patient is dosed less than what’s on the label, drugmakers generally get less money.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • These targets include the personal business interests of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials, as well as the energy infrastructure that allows these leaders to pillage state revenues as a source of personal wealth.
    Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes the very entities owning these hospitals and nursing homes are purposely bankrupting them, pillaging them of their value to maximize the owners’ profits.
    Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • The study said the object, which left a greenish discoloration on her palate, was unlikely to be a coin, as the proportions of copper to gold did not correspond to those found in historical alloys.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Assuming 20 million coins in circulation, this would imply that one bitcoin would be priced at approximately $50 million.
    Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • That summer, Detroit was paralyzed by a violent uprising, which erupted after the city’s predominantly white police force raided a night club in a Black neighborhood.
    Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Check it out… ‘Ruthless Podcast’ dives into Swalwell’s Fang Fang scandal and the FBI raiding his home.
    , FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Loot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loot. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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