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
At the Jeu de Paume museum, Valland took many risks to safeguard its treasures and record the massive plunder of artwork across France. Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 18 June 2025 Trouble is, the elder Broadway managed to cheat St. Christopher out of his share of the plunder. Joe Leydon, Variety, 13 June 2025
Verb
The towns of Harrisonville, Butler and Osceola were plundered during Bleeding Kansas. Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025 Moral of the story: Do like your mama told you and keep your hands to yourself—unless your neighbor’s given you express permission to plunder their garden. Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plunder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunder
Noun
  • Players can also look forward to haunted map locations, quests and limited-time loot.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Much of the backlash stemmed from its reliance on live-service models, microtransactions, and controversial mechanics like loot boxes.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The service up to them has been lacking in quality, but finding a way to retain possession would be helpful.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • That matters when a game is decided by one possession.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, members of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition had pillaged and/or burned at least 410 residences and other buildings, including six schools, health centers and local nongovernmental organizations during the period.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
  • After the Broncos’ frontmen pillaged San Francisco for the better part of two hours, Castle Rock native and 49er Christian McCaffrey stood in front of reporters and confirmed what Denver’s offense has known for a few months.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The spaces are smaller, with lower benches, and the older players, flitting between dressing rooms for U14s and U12s, have had to take their belongings home each day rather than leave them in lockers due to the carousel of teams moving in and out.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Was there an auction for Ed Gein's belongings after he was arrested?
    JR Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His uncles got sacked, picked off, hit in the mouth, too; both of them got up to ultimately win.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Phillips sacked Rodgers, a key play in the fourth quarter of a close game.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Channing Tatum’s Raw Physicality on The Tonight Show Channing Tatum is, above all things, a dancer.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
  • In 2022, life circumstances prompted her and her husband to make things official quickly.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
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
  • But don’t fret, there’s good stuff too, like Jacory Croskey-Merritt saving the day.
    Jake Ciely, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • But, man, there was plenty of weird stuff in that game.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plunder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunder. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

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