plundering 1 of 2

plundering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of plunder
as in pillaging
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the escaped convict plundered the house in search of valuables

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 plundering
Noun
In Nolan’s telling, his deceit and plundering portend the collapse of the Bronze Age—a foreboding warning about greedy, fading empires that feels a little too relevant. Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026 Some have traveled farther as part of colonial-era collections — as far as the British Museum — and been returned; a story unto itself about the plundering of the natural world in the age of empire, and institutions reckoning with their inheritance. Tom Page, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026 Living through the aftermath of Rome’s plundering in 410 by the Visigoths, Augustine keenly appreciated the fact that empires come and go. Brett Whalen, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026 An intimate doc-feature take on renowned Panamanian anthropologist Reina Torres de Araúz (1932-82), who battled the plundering of artifacts from pre-1492 tombs, told from th POV of a soon who lost her mother too soon. John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026 ByteDance’s statement follows the Chinese tech giant receiving cease and desist letters from Disney and Paramount, calling for an immediate halt to IP plundering. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026 It was revealed during that trial that Low's plundering of the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund exceeded $4 billion. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Nov. 2025 Aron Solomon on how the Meta AI copyright decision made libraries sitting ducks for AI plundering. Literary Hub, 27 June 2025
Verb
Historians theorize that, among several other factors, these sea peoples plundering the Mediterranean helped usher in a Dark Age where the ability to read and write was lost in Ancient Greece. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 17 July 2026 Meanwhile, Lohar’s surviving mercenaries are plundering villages. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026 Or was the hole man-made with a malevolent intent, perhaps plundering a grave for artifacts? Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026 New genetic data indicates that cats feeding off the abundant rodents plundering human food stores domesticated themselves for similar reasons around 10,000 years ago. Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 10 June 2026 But Texas Tech isn't the only program from the Lone Star State whose commit list LSU is plundering. Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026 Later on, plundering Barbary pirates raided Mallorca, looting possessions, slaughtering inhabitants and capturing others for the slave trade. Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 Kyiv has long accused Russia of plundering these regions' resources. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026 But the sea lies in a region of the Golden State where there are already numerous environmental concerns, and some residents worry that plundering for lithium could exacerbate the problem. Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plundering
Noun
  • Efforts to prevent looting had been made even before the formation of the MFAA.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 July 2026
  • President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act after a generation of lobbying by educators and scientists who wanted to protect sites from commercial artifact looting and haphazard collecting by individuals.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • At a time when security measures were more relaxed, hard-up antique print dealer Robert Kindred spent the summer of 1980 pillaging rare books and antique illustrations from academic libraries nationwide.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026
  • Triarchy forces that escaped the Battle of the Gullet have been pillaging the mainland, and some come across Aegon’s captors, cutting short a bit of squabbling between the two.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • The museum’s Apollo Gallery is open to the public for the first time since the infamous daytime jewelry robbery last October, in which thieves snagged around $102 million worth of crown jewels and other treasures.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 22 July 2026
  • Civilian Response Unit Specialist and Marine Corps veteran Edward Zapata was shot in the eye while responding to a robbery call.
    Mary Ella Hastings July 21, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Other skulls and long bones uncovered at the site, which Carr says was among the most important in Miami-Dade, were destroyed by a gang of marauding boys.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • Between matches, fans were able to relax with a somewhat less-marauding version of Haaland, as the 25-year-old put in an appearance on the late-night show FIFA World Cup on Fox After Hours with James Corden.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • To the family’s lawyer, Markus Stötzel, the case is a typical example of Nazi plunder in need of immediate restoration.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
  • The second — a fastball Horwitz hit about 100 mph for a double to right field — was the start of a Pirate plunder at Sutter Health Park.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • But so far, the government has decided not to intervene by sacking him and has backpedalled, allowing Russia to participate.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • Ulysses expresses sorrowful regret for having disobeyed Zeus’ Law – essentially the Golden Rule – in sacking Troy.
    Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • According to the Montana Grizzly Bear Conflict Dashboard, the state has recorded 101 conflicts so far this year, including 30 livestock depredations and 34 encounters with humans.
    Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026
  • No amount of macho beatdowns in the UFC cage matches on the White House lawn will make anyone forget Epstein’s depredations.
    Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • New York State officials seized and killed P’Nut, the internet-famous squirrel, and Fred the raccoon after raiding a private home.
    Vanessa Shakib, Oc Register, 23 July 2026
  • These are not jam band casualties raiding Home Depot for chemicals.
    Charles Moss, SPIN, 16 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Plundering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plundering. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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