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
And two, even for the plunder of a smash and grab, that seems a sloppy hiding place. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025 While in Africa, Suchet visits Kimberley, the site of diamond mines (and where Rhodes founded the De Beers diamond company), and the plunder and extraction are so clear. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
One night, the cemetery is plundered; graves are tipped over, their wi-fi connections disabled. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Apr. 2025 The mosaics date from that time, and the interior also boasts Classical columns plundered from other buildings, although it’s encased in a Neoclassical facade built in the 1700s. Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plunder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunder
Noun
  • Agents recovered some of the loot, which was worth about $100 million, while executing a search warrant on Monday.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 19 June 2025
  • Most of the protests in Los Angeles have been peaceful, but some have taken the opportunity to burn or vandalize property, loot, and throw projectiles at law enforcement.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • Wiegman normally uses a 4-2-3-1 out of possession and then, in possession, pushes her box-to-box midfielder up the field to form a 4-3-3.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 27 June 2025
  • The grand jury returned the indictment this week, charging Labrador Sierra with possession of a firearm by an alien who is in the U.S. unlawfully, making a false statement while purchasing a firearm, and making or using false documents, the DOJ said in a news release.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Noni finds him in Crete, where Lion’s crew of pirates, assembled from fighters from around the world, are currently pillaging and enslaving a town.
    Kambole Campbell, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • Angry over the tagless intruders' prior antics in pillaging their resources, a horde of players descend upon the USS Callister crew, who flee while digital Nanette makes her way to the engine in the hopes of finding a solve.
    Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Eight days later, in a game relocated to Glendale, Ariz., because of deadly wildfires in Southern California, Darnold was sacked nine times and had two turnovers (including a fumble returned for touchdown) in a 27-9 loss.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • Nix turned the ball over just eight times and was sacked 20 times in those final 13 games.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 17 June 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
  • But subtle little things — developments unlikely to make headlines – can also be big winners.
    Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • 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
  • Anderson prefers to characterize Loewe as a cultural brand rather than a luxury one, finding the latter term despoiled.
    Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Moving is consistently considered one of the most stressful life events, and a lot of this has to do with the sheer amount of stuff involved.
    Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
  • There would be nightclub stuff happening in the evenings.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • In 2022, Chinese authorities raided a warehouse and seized counterfeit Salvatore Ferragamo belts thanks to efforts by the Italian luxury house and Amazon.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
  • The following day, agents raided her husband’s home and business, Century Homebuilders Group, in Coral Gables.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plunder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunder. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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