1
as in plundered
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 searched
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 ransacked
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said one of the victims returned right after the burglary happened and found their home ransacked, with the suspects getting away with $100,000 worth of their valuables.
—
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
On May 5, a person returned to their Westlake Village home and found that the house had been ransacked and multiple things had been stolen.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
After John’s death in 1777, the British ransacked the Morton residence and Ann was forced to flee with her family across the Delaware River.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
The masked home invaders that ransacked a Winnetka residence in search of cryptocurrency accounts in March held a person face-down on the ground as a child ran for help, new court filings allege.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
On the drive back to her dormitory, Daisy sees that the florist’s shop has been ransacked.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Seemingly half of the testers in the gondolas (Sephora-speak for brand shelving) at their Beverly Hills location looked like they had been ransacked by zombies.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
Someone had entered through her bathroom window, the only one in the house without an alarm, and ransacked the place.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
With drum circles, ransacked guest rooms and theatrical confrontations staged across sandy paths and candlelit dinners, guests become active participants in the drama.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
On May 5, a person returned to their Westlake Village home and found that the house had been ransacked and multiple things had been stolen.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
After John’s death in 1777, the British ransacked the Morton residence and Ann was forced to flee with her family across the Delaware River.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
The masked home invaders that ransacked a Winnetka residence in search of cryptocurrency accounts in March held a person face-down on the ground as a child ran for help, new court filings allege.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
On the drive back to her dormitory, Daisy sees that the florist’s shop has been ransacked.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Seemingly half of the testers in the gondolas (Sephora-speak for brand shelving) at their Beverly Hills location looked like they had been ransacked by zombies.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
Someone had entered through her bathroom window, the only one in the house without an alarm, and ransacked the place.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
With drum circles, ransacked guest rooms and theatrical confrontations staged across sandy paths and candlelit dinners, guests become active participants in the drama.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransacked
Verb
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But Klaasen didn’t hold back and shared an 80-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 21, and then Salil Arora (30 not out) plundered three sixes and two fours as Hyderabad notched its fifth straight win.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Five years after the Halifax Resolves were adopted, the British army briefly occupied the town and plundered its homes, according to the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites and Properties.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Police previously searched for Hicks at local homeless shelters and encampments, reported The Evening Sun, citing family.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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At the scene, Brown, according to his arrest warrant, was detained and searched.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Hospitals that haven’t been looted, burned or shuttered are dealing with limited budgets and the tightening grip of armed gangs.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
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After the supermarket burned down and his mom’s store was looted during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, his family relocated to Hawaii.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The building is full of character, having at turns been home to a book press, bank, and, most appropriately, the founding headquarters of the Danish Spirit Producers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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The letter, sent Friday, comes amid a high-stakes legal battle currently playing out in an Oakland federal courtroom between onetime partners Altman and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who in 2015 co-founded the AI company best known for creating ChatGPT.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 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
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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
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The action came three months after French law enforcement authorities raided X’s Paris office and summoned Musk for questioning.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
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The Upper East Side townhouse had been raided by the FBI two years earlier.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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United also won the FA Cup under Erik ten Hag in 2024 though he was sacked later that year and replaced by Ruben Amorim, who himself was dismissed in January 2026.—
Sam Joseph,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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Starmer sacked Mandelson last September after a trove of emails revealed the depth of his ties with Epstein.—
Elizabeth Piper,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
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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
Cite this Entry
“Ransacked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransacked. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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