as in robbery
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as in plundering
to search through with the intent of committing robbery
the bandits looted the archaeological dig before riding off into the night
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Recent Examples of looting
Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
The looting report in Haaretz follows several other misconduct complaints against Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Spiegelman uses the term micro-looting, dressing up petty theft in political pretensions.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
On the streets of Saigon, there was widespread looting.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
But for many, the payment process associated with the War Damages Law dragged on into the 1960s, underlining the long-term economic impact of wartime looting.
—Shannon Fogg, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
The Canadiens forfeit the game to the Detroit after a smoke bomb goes off in the Forum and crowds spill into the streets, setting fires, smashing windows and looting.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Christophe Garnier, the leader of Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan said the organization had to evacuate its staff from Akobo on Saturday and learned of the subsequent looting of its hospital and the ransacking of its office.
—ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Saleh Abu Alamah A statue of the Nubian god Apademak stands alone in the courtyard of Sudan’s National Museum, one of the few survivors of systematic looting amid a conflict that has developed into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Richard Schmeelk died at age 97 in May 2022 — but Corona kept on looting his widow’s accounts, according to court records.
—Kamaron McNair,dan Mangan, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
The trio stripped down and left little to the imagination in their lingerie, raided the liquor cabinet, soaked in a bubble bath, stole a Grammy and cannonballed into a pool — all while looting the house for cash and jewels.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
In the Midway, the United Village campus around Allianz Field is in the process of adding its first commercial buildings, six years after riots and looting shuttered the last remaining stores in the former Midway Shopping Center and seven years after the soccer stadium held its first match.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
His case grew out of a broader Miami indictment filed in 2018 that charged eight associates with looting PDVSA, including senior executives and lawyers.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
In most academic histories of European imperialism written in this century, the Europeans are the barbarians, killing and raping and looting on an unprecedented scale.
—David A. Bell, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
Fearing damage, Kuchumov’s team covered the Amber Room in wallpaper to hide it from looting soldiers while packing and removing furniture and other decorations from the room.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Mar. 2026
Kathy Ireland, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model who later made the cover of Forbes as a branding mogul, has accused her former business managers of looting millions of dollars from her and leaving her deeply in debt.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
Some start in the 1800s, and others start post-1970 under the UNESCO framework that has outlawed the looting of cultural heritage across the world.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
The looting report in Haaretz follows several other misconduct complaints against Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Spiegelman uses the term micro-looting, dressing up petty theft in political pretensions.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
On the streets of Saigon, there was widespread looting.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
But for many, the payment process associated with the War Damages Law dragged on into the 1960s, underlining the long-term economic impact of wartime looting.
—Shannon Fogg, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
The Canadiens forfeit the game to the Detroit after a smoke bomb goes off in the Forum and crowds spill into the streets, setting fires, smashing windows and looting.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Christophe Garnier, the leader of Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan said the organization had to evacuate its staff from Akobo on Saturday and learned of the subsequent looting of its hospital and the ransacking of its office.
—ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Saleh Abu Alamah A statue of the Nubian god Apademak stands alone in the courtyard of Sudan’s National Museum, one of the few survivors of systematic looting amid a conflict that has developed into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 8 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
Richard Schmeelk died at age 97 in May 2022 — but Corona kept on looting his widow’s accounts, according to court records.
—Kamaron McNair,dan Mangan, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
The trio stripped down and left little to the imagination in their lingerie, raided the liquor cabinet, soaked in a bubble bath, stole a Grammy and cannonballed into a pool — all while looting the house for cash and jewels.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
In the Midway, the United Village campus around Allianz Field is in the process of adding its first commercial buildings, six years after riots and looting shuttered the last remaining stores in the former Midway Shopping Center and seven years after the soccer stadium held its first match.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
His case grew out of a broader Miami indictment filed in 2018 that charged eight associates with looting PDVSA, including senior executives and lawyers.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
In most academic histories of European imperialism written in this century, the Europeans are the barbarians, killing and raping and looting on an unprecedented scale.
—David A. Bell, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
Fearing damage, Kuchumov’s team covered the Amber Room in wallpaper to hide it from looting soldiers while packing and removing furniture and other decorations from the room.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Mar. 2026
Kathy Ireland, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model who later made the cover of Forbes as a branding mogul, has accused her former business managers of looting millions of dollars from her and leaving her deeply in debt.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for looting
Noun
-
The department's robbery and homicide division is listed as the arresting agency.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
-
Charlie Livingston, executed in 1997, was convicted in a 1983 robbery and murder.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Kyiv has long accused Russia of plundering these regions' resources.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But the sea lies in a region of the Golden State where there are already numerous environmental concerns, and some residents worry that plundering for lithium could exacerbate the problem.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Amid the pillaging of homes, Roman magistrates were likely sent to the city to prevent an anarchic type of existence, based on ancient literary sources the authors referenced in the study.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
-
In fact, researchers know that pirates – basically just thieves on the water – targeted these river boats, because Egyptian pharaohs left records grumbling about pirates and their widespread pillaging.—
Brandon Prins,
The Conversation,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Even as their work was winding down this session, federal agents looking for evidence of fraud were raiding autism and daycare centers in the state.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
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Who knew that raiding the fridge and pantry could taste like a million bucks.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
Noun
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More than $1 million has reportedly been paid to rancher claimants for wildlife depredation.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
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His nanny was his fierce protector and insulated him from the depredations of Nazis and their enablers, baptizing him and teaching him to handily hurl anti-Jewish epithets to fit in.—
Ron Kampeas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
But so far the government has decided not to intervene by sacking him and backpedalling on allowing Russia to participate.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
6 May 2026
-
Any hope that Liam Rosenior’s sacking 12 days ago would spark an upturn, especially after their FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds United, have been brought back to reality.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Article continues below Unfortunately, a passing asteroid deposits a killer alien robot in their midst, and the soldiers must fend for themselves as this marauding mech stalks them with guns and lasers blazing.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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Rutter, the club’s record £40m buy from Leeds United, was an instant hit last season with insatiable work rate and marauding runs until an ankle injury ruled him out from March for the rest of the campaign.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Looting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/looting. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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