Thesaurus results for LOOT

Q: How does the noun 'loot' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of loot are booty , plunder , prize , spoils , and spoil . While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe. // picked through the ruins for loot

Q: When could 'booty' be used to replace 'loot'?

While in some cases nearly identical to loot , booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates. // thieves dividing up their booty

Q: When might 'plunder' be a better fit than 'loot'?

In some situations, the words plunder and loot are roughly equivalent. However, plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling. // a bootlegger's plunder

Q: In what contexts can 'prize' take the place of 'loot'?

Although the words prize and loot have much in common, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy. // the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

Q: How do 'spoil' and 'spoils' relate to one another, in the sense of 'loot'?

Spoil , more commonly spoils , applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest. // the spoils of political victory

loot 1 of 2

noun

ˈlüt

Definition of loot next

as in plunder

valuables stolen or taken by force the burglar was caught when he foolishly stopped to examine the loot from the robbery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in cash

something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment a top-ranked golfer earning plenty of loot

Synonyms & Similar Words

loot

2 of 2

verb

as in to plunder

to search through with the intent of committing robbery the bandits looted the archaeological dig before riding off into the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun loot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of loot are booty, plunder, prize, spoils, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When could booty be used to replace loot?

While in some cases nearly identical to loot, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When might plunder be a better fit than loot?

In some situations, the words plunder and loot are roughly equivalent. However, plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of loot?

Although the words prize and loot have much in common, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

How do spoil and spoils relate to one another, in the sense of loot?

Spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of loot

Noun

Changes like these have led some consumers to question whether the potential to capture loot is worth the upfront cost. —

Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026 And sticky fingers in California are stretching out to get some of the management fees for handling the loot. —

Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026

Verb

As with Osterweil, who argued that white supremacy can render even violent looting a legitimate act, Piker and Tolentino suggest that certain crimes become not just morally justifiable but even admirable when coupled with a claim against structural injustice. —

Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026 The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, that permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses. —

Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loot

Recent Examples of Synonyms for loot

Noun

Many Indians and students of colonialism see it as a symbol of the British Empire and the domination and plunder of imperialism.

— Emma Caughlan, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Critics contend the industry plunders distressed companies, leading to downsizing and cost-cutting that hurts local communities, though other research has pushed back on that reputation.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026

Definition of plunder

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loosing

loot

looted

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“Loot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loot. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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Synonyms of loot

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