loots 1 of 2

plural of loot
as in plunders
valuables stolen or taken by force the burglar was caught when he foolishly stopped to examine the loot from the robbery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

loots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of loot
as in pillages
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the bandits looted the archaeological dig before riding off into the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 loots
Verb
Israel blames Hamas for the scale of the destruction in Gaza, saying the group hides behind civilians, uses civil infrastructure for military purposes, and loots humanitarian aid intended for ordinary Gazans. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loots
Noun
  • Back then, bond investors were enjoying the spoils of a multi-decade bull market.
    Greg Ritchie, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way there were Nazis, spoils of war, and more than one accidental encounter.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Critics contend the industry plunders distressed companies, leading to downsizing and cost-cutting that hurts local communities, though other research has pushed back on that reputation.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
  • By delegitimizing the Islamic Republic as an occupying force—one that plunders national wealth to subsidize regional proxies—the opposition has effectively subverted the regime’s nationalist rhetoric.
    Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 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
  • Assateague Island is one of Maryland's treasures and is famous for the wild horses who call it home.
    Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Mountain Vista goes for it on fourth down but the Seminole defense sacks Marquise Reese to force a turnover on downs.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Manning, back for what is probably his final season, is on the short list of best returning quarterbacks in the country and edge rusher Colin Simmons won the SEC sacks title with 12.
    Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In the character's final scene, as the DEA raids her rural compound, Laurie ties a rope around her neck and jumps from the roof of her home.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
  • In the meantime, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finally raids Laurie's property, thanks to the intel Rue had been giving them.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • The trio ransacks the house — and, honestly, appears to be having the time of their life — as the video goes on.
    Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The culminating episode, as the mob smashes and ransacks a hospital and terrorizes its patients, ultimately reveals a frail elderly man, standing naked and alone in an empty bathtub as the assailants approach.
    John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loots. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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