plunder 1 of 2

1
as in loot
valuables stolen or taken by force the thieves were promptly arrested when they tried to sell their plunder

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

plunder

2 of 2

verb

as in to pillage
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the escaped convict plundered the house in search of valuables

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plunder differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of plunder are booty, loot, prize, spoils, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

When could booty be used to replace plunder?

The words booty and plunder are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When would loot be a good substitute for plunder?

The synonyms loot and plunder are sometimes interchangeable, but loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When is prize a more appropriate choice than plunder?

Although the words prize and plunder 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 plunder?

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 plunder
Noun
Last month, in another headline-grabbing food plunder, 100,000 organic eggs were taken from a distribution trailer in Pennsylvania. Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Such tactics included the extraordinary plunder and destruction of the Hundred Years’ War and the fire bombings of cities in World War II. Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
In time, settlers would excavate and plunder countless ancestral ruins across the Southwest, with artifacts carried off to private collections and museum displays. Mike Bezemek, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025 For two decades until 2017, the nation was ruled by a despot who had his opponents assassinated and plundered public funds to buy himself luxuries like a Rolls-Royce collection and a private zoo. Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for plunder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunder
Noun
  • After finding the currency and reporting it, the crew cleaned and deodorized the bills and returned all of the loot to the homeowner.
    Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Now, the ultimate goal of Destiny 2 is to power up through 450 levels, with milestones of 200, 300, 400 and 450 giving you access to Tiers 2-5 loot respectively.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • She’s charged with accessory after the fact to a second-degree felony, violation of probation and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams.
    Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Initally Cyprien's mother was charged with felony meth possession and gun theft while his father was arrested on an outstanding probation violation warrant from Texas and a domestic violence assault warrant in Nashville.
    Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The warriors who pillaged distant lands, for instance, returned with at least 20,000 elephants, lions, leopards and other exotic creatures that were paraded in public spaces and killed in gruesome displays of power, their meat likely distributed to city residents.
    Krista Langlois, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
  • The map is no longer an obstacle, freeing you up to focus on pillaging loot and preparing your character.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The theory is that Favre took a dive so that New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan could sack him and break Gastineau’s record.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Wilson led the Dolphins to touchdowns on both his drives after replacing Tagovailoa for the second series of a 24-24 tie with Chicago last week, and he was sacked four times.
    Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Expected to take a backseat to Detroit and Green Bay in a transition year, Minnesota is in the thick of things with a 13-2 record.
    Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
  • Here are few things fantasy managers should keep an eye on heading into 2025.
    Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Decades of despoiling water bodies have taken a terrible toll, filling water bodies with fetid algae that blocks sunlight and smothers the native seagrass beds that are a main food source for manatees.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
  • Gaddis was an obscure state employee who was fired from his job last summer after leaking details of a secret plot by the DeSantis administration to despoil nine pristine Florida state parks with golf courses, pickleball courts and resort-style lodges — all to benefit his wealthy friends.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • And that’s the kind of craft that existed in that era, where people who were just writing on staff were writing better than stuff that people make now.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The Premier League started doing stuff with players being interviewed from home on Zoom, and then started the ePremier League, with all 20 clubs asked to find a player who would like to be involved.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • While raiding the minibar at your hotel could probably contribute to bags under your eyes, the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles‘s new amenity is a fridge full of products to make your face look great instead.
    India Brown, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2025
  • In 2011, federal agents raided the shantytown and made dozens of arrests.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plunder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunder. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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