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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ransack
California’s suburbs were terrorized for years by a series of crimes that graduated from ransacking to rape and then murder.
—
Ian Berry, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Ian Berry, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransack
Verb
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Leaders in Congress agreed and sent out armadas of patriot privateers to do just that, plundering British shipping around the Atlantic rim and forcing Royal Navy warships to redeploy to convoy duty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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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,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Searches for the phrase are up more than 600%, and Etsy searches for related décor rose 180%.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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To search the restaurant inspections, type in a keyword or restaurant name.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Towns were besieged, landscapes scorched, villages pillaged.—
Penelope Geng,
The Conversation,
27 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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The ones who needed to leave their mother tongue in order to find their true voice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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More on the science behind the portfolio diet A few small studies led by Jenkins in 2003, including the trial that introduced the diet to the world, found an association between following the portfolio diet and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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On the field, his seven tackles, sack and pass breakup helped tilt the game in the Chargers’ favour; off the field, his tribute to his brother showed the depth of his character.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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In the box score, Brissett was 21-of-31 for 261 yards with two touchdown passes despite getting sacked five times by the Cowboys.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Ohio Anti-Slavery Society’s 1835 report told of a Black family whose home had been broken into and looted the year before.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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California museum’s collection looted Police are investigating the theft of more than 1,000 items taken from the Oakland Museum of California.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
31 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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Just last week, Chicago and national media falsely accused law enforcement of raiding a daycare center.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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Dance parties like the one in Iranshahr are still sometimes raided by the police.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ransack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransack. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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