Synonyms of pillage

pillage 1 of 2

noun

ˈpi-lij 

as in plunder

valuables stolen or taken by force

the pirate ship was laden with the pillage of merchant ships from across the Spanish Main

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plunder
• loot
• treasure
• spoil
• booty
• prize
• swag
• catch
• haul
• windfall
• take
• pilferage

pillage

2 of 2

verb

as in to plunder

to search through with the intent of committing robbery

soldiers pillaging the countryside for anything of value

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plunder
• loot
• sack
• despoil
• ransack
• raid
• maraud
• steal (from)
• rifle
• rake
• comb
• break in
• hunt
• rummage
• burglarize
• ravish
• rip off
• harry

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pillage contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pillage are despoil, devastate, ravage, sack, and waste. While all these words mean "to lay waste by plundering or destroying," pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack.

settlements pillaged by Vikings

Where would despoil be a reasonable alternative to pillage?

In some situations, the words despoil and pillage are roughly equivalent. However, despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction.

the Nazis despoiled the art museums

When is it sensible to use devastate instead of pillage?

The synonyms devastate and pillage are sometimes interchangeable, but devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.

an earthquake devastated the city

When might ravage be a better fit than pillage?

While the synonyms ravage and pillage are close in meaning, ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction.

a hurricane ravaged the coast

When would sack be a good substitute for pillage?

The words sack and pillage can be used in similar contexts, but sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place.

barbarians sacked ancient Rome

When could waste be used to replace pillage?

The words waste and pillage are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Recent Examples of pillage

Noun

At only 6 years old, Esai Reed has endured three emergency evacuations from orphanages across Haiti as gangs pillage and plunder their way through once peaceful communities. —Dánica Coto, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2024

Byron is surveying rout and pillage, and the terrible ease with which the laws of civil society, such as respect for the elderly, are flung aside. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024

Verb

The internet, too, has rewired our brains in countless ways, overwhelming us with information while pillaging our attention spans. —Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025

Many prehistoric structures were pillaged for rock, but a remarkable number are intact. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025