as in looted
to search through with the intent of committing robbery
the escaped convict plundered the house in search of valuables
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Recent Examples of plundered
The area has been plundered for centuries.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
What’s the reward for being the most productively plundered of the mid-majors?
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
The Scandinavian Vikings were a seafaring people who plundered both north and west Europe for centuries — a pretty tough group.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Last fall, copper thieves plundered about a dozen public streetlights over three city blocks, leaving their neighborhood in the dark.
—Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Many of the country's ancient temples were plundered during a genocide in the 1970s and subsequent civil war.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025
Pahlavi ruled from 1941 to 1979, when the Islamic Revolution ousted him amid allegations of repression and accusations that the pro-Western longtime ruler had plundered his nation’s treasury.
—Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Abroad, America’s élite soldiers killed and plundered.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
What’s the reward for being the most productively plundered of the mid-majors?
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
The Scandinavian Vikings were a seafaring people who plundered both north and west Europe for centuries — a pretty tough group.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Last fall, copper thieves plundered about a dozen public streetlights over three city blocks, leaving their neighborhood in the dark.
—Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Many of the country's ancient temples were plundered during a genocide in the 1970s and subsequent civil war.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025
Pahlavi ruled from 1941 to 1979, when the Islamic Revolution ousted him amid allegations of repression and accusations that the pro-Western longtime ruler had plundered his nation’s treasury.
—Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Abroad, America’s élite soldiers killed and plundered.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plundered
Verb
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Shortly after the collapse of Hussein’s ruling party, crowds looted government offices and cultural sites.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
YggTorrent has since confirmed the hacker looted sensitive data, including user passwords.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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North Texas — whose roster was pillaged in the portal and saw its top players leave for Oklahoma State alongside former head coach Eric Morris — have signed 42 transfers.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In a landscape of sequels and overly pillaged IP, the Stranger Things finale is finite and close-ended, the credits rolling once and for all.—
Yohana Desta,
Rolling Stone,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the 21st century, oil extraction has become a serious threat to Ecuadoran Amazonia, with large swaths of forest, often located in Indigenous territories, despoiled by the release of wastewater from the wells.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The documents show that after being sacked, Mandelson asked for a $732,000 payoff, the rest of his four-year salary.—
JILL LAWLESS AND BRIAN MELLEY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
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He was sacked 55 times, tying for the league high.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fast forward to now, when Andrew was arrested on his birthday, questioned for over 11 hours, and his homes and offices were raided.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Reginald Arthurell — who began transitioning to a woman shortly after his release from prison in 2020 — was removed from the home after heavily armed officers raided the address on Monday, radio station 2GB reported.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The group inside the building ransacked the furniture and at least one person appeared to steal a package before sirens were heard and people rushed back outside.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Ben goes into Bailey’s room, which looks like someone just ransacked it, looking for a monster hiding under the bed that wasn’t there.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plundered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plundered. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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