1
as in to plunder
to search through with the intent of committing robbery
it was clear that the thieves who had ransacked the museum were professionals—they bypassed most of the exhibits and went straight for the vaults
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to search
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
I've ransacked the whole house for that book you lent me and it's nowhere to be found
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ransack
In 2011, thieves ransacked the Yangs’ house, hunting for their property deed.
—
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
After a treacherous night in which Daryl had to remove a piece of metal from Carol’s shoulder and the boat was ransacked by equestrians in bull-horn masks, the twosome put the walking back in The Walking Dead.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 7 Sep. 2025
Protests intensified over the weekend, with rioters targeting the homes of lawmakers, ransacking and looting properties, and burning government buildings, according to media reports.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
More than a thousand fires burned, and more than a thousand shops were ransacked.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
After a treacherous night in which Daryl had to remove a piece of metal from Carol’s shoulder and the boat was ransacked by equestrians in bull-horn masks, the twosome put the walking back in The Walking Dead.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 7 Sep. 2025
Protests intensified over the weekend, with rioters targeting the homes of lawmakers, ransacking and looting properties, and burning government buildings, according to media reports.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
More than a thousand fires burned, and more than a thousand shops were ransacked.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransack
Verb
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The servants of this democratic republic’s machinery are, in truth, nothing but members of a mafia set up to plunder the island’s riches—and the West is complicit, with its own interests in the riches underground, in the ocean, from the soil.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Oct. 2025
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The 18 runs plundered off one over was the most Jasprit Bumrah had ever conceded in Tests, leaving the bowler perplexed as he was replaced.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To find locations, search the Mega Millions website.—
Cheryl Vari,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Oct. 2025
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Among the detentions in which allegations have not stuck, masked agents pointed a gun at, pepper sprayed and punched a young man who had filmed them searching for his relative.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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If peaceable trading isn't your dream, consider the corsair life, pillaging other ships for their precious cargo.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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In this precarious situation, RSF forces have systematically pillaged towns and villages and laid siege to El Fasher, the last SAF stronghold in Darfur, for more than 500 days.—
Alex de Waal,
Foreign Affairs,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some residents have found debris as far as two miles from the facility, according to the Hickman County Sheriff’s office.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Don’t expect to find an M5 in an iPhone, though.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jones has passed for over 340 yards in each of the two games since then, though he was sacked six times and had two passes intercepted in Sunday’s 30-19 loss at Tampa Bay.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
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But after sacking Russell Martin, Rangers’ decision-makers have found the gig has all the magnetism of aluminium.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to a report by the Human Rights Defense Network, at least 148 people were killed, many burned alive; 62 houses were torched, and another 26 houses were looted.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
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Hamas reportedly executed a leader of the powerful Doghmush clan in March 2024, on grounds of cooperating with Israeli authorities, looting aid convoys and reselling the spoils on black market.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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According to reports via Israeli outlet Ynet, the violence erupted when Hamas militants raided the neighborhood of Sabra in Gaza City, home to a clan called Doghmush, also known as the Al Doghmush family militia.—
Emma Bussey , Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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As wagers on the 2024 election grew last year, the CFTC renewed its scrutiny, and the FBI raided founder Shayne Coplan’s home in November.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ransack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransack. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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