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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Commanders owner Josh Harris used former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers as a consultant in their coaching and GM searches two years ago.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
1 Jan. 2026
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ChatGPT searches Apple Music and builds the playlist for you.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The patient thriller finds Agnes lonely in her seedy motel, with a phone that often rings, though the person on the other end of the line never speaks.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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Don’t miss out on fuzzy socks, best-selling makeup, clever home organizing essentials, and more under-the-radar finds starting at $4.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 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 12 Jan. 2026.
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