1
as in plunders
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 searches
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
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Recent Examples of ransacks
The culminating episode, as the mob smashes and ransacks a hospital and terrorizes its patients, ultimately reveals a frail elderly man, standing naked and alone in an empty bathtub as the assailants approach.
—
John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransacks
Verb
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By delegitimizing the Islamic Republic as an occupying force—one that plunders national wealth to subsidize regional proxies—the opposition has effectively subverted the regime’s nationalist rhetoric.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
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Lowell plunders an emerald out of a wrecked ship, starts a fistfight with a local ruler, nearly dies when a boa constrictor wraps itself around her neck, and is wounded by an alligator.—
Michael Waters,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile at Standard Life, the insurer’s capital markets head Nuwan Goonetilleke will become its interim CIO as the company searches for a permanent successor to Eakins.—
Leonard Kehnscherper,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
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Attorneys and staff are taking on higher caseloads while Legal Aid’s executive director searches for funding to fill the gap, but donations are down across the board.—
Maddy Keyes,
The Frontier,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That decline in leadership shows up in authoritative surveys like the Pew Research Center’s benchmark poll, which finds that trust in government to do what’s right is hovering near historic lows.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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Her character sings, cries and endures a Greek tragedy of a downfall, but instead of being a caricature, Chastain finds the soul of a complex, good-hearted woman.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Israel blames Hamas for the scale of the destruction in Gaza, saying the group hides behind civilians, uses civil infrastructure for military purposes, and loots humanitarian aid intended for ordinary Gazans.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Manning, back for what is probably his final season, is on the short list of best returning quarterbacks in the country and edge rusher Colin Simmons won the SEC sacks title with 12.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Jan. 2026
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Riley Moss sacks a scrambling Trevor Lawrence on third-and-4 for a 1-yard loss.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
21 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ransacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransacks. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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