pillaging 1 of 2

pillaging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pillage
as in plundering
to search through with the intent of committing robbery soldiers pillaging the countryside for anything of value

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pillaging
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
Triarchy forces that escaped the Battle of the Gullet have been pillaging the mainland, and some come across Aegon’s captors, cutting short a bit of squabbling between the two. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 But now, entry-level professionals are clinging to their childhood bedrooms and pillaging their family fridges as more are extending their stay than ever before. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 22 June 2026 Some commentators’ dark horses for the tournament, Norway qualified from Europe with a perfect record, pillaging goals at will, while mercilessly dispatching opponents. Jonathan Thompson, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 Picking up where episode 7 left off, Wayne (Toby Wallace) wakes up to Rue pillaging his safe. Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 OpenAI has been pillaging Apple’s hardware engineering ranks for talent to work on competitors to Apple’s smart home and mobile devices, while Meta is revamping its own AI wearables. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 May 2026 Then Joe Biden and his corrupt administration comes along and makes matters worse, allowing thousands of criminals to enter our country illegally, pillaging Americans while being pampered in luxury hotels on our dime. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026 Certainly, its portrait of a futuristic society dominated by raping, pillaging youth gangs speaking a bizarre Russian-English hybrid slang struck a few different nerves — as did its tale of one teenage sociopath’s questionable reprogramming back into society after a stint in prison. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025 The internet, too, has rewired our brains in countless ways, overwhelming us with information while pillaging our attention spans. Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillaging
Noun
  • At least four people have been killed as violence and looting spread across the country, Reuters reported.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Last year, the NCMM received 113 Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands—the largest single return of Benin antiquities directly linked to the 1897 British looting, according to the commission.
    Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • New genetic data indicates that cats feeding off the abundant rodents plundering human food stores domesticated themselves for similar reasons around 10,000 years ago.
    Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 10 June 2026
  • But Texas Tech isn't the only program from the Lone Star State whose commit list LSU is plundering.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • The Boulder County Sheriff's Office is investigating a robbery and assault that left a 73-year-old hiker unconscious and his wallet gone.
    Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Some of those ​arrested were undocumented migrants detained for violating ​immigration rules, while others were arrested for public violence, harboring ‌illegal immigrants and robbery.
    Reuters, NBC news, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Other skulls and long bones uncovered at the site, which Carr says was among the most important in Miami-Dade, were destroyed by a gang of marauding boys.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • Between matches, fans were able to relax with a somewhat less-marauding version of Haaland, as the 25-year-old put in an appearance on the late-night show FIFA World Cup on Fox After Hours with James Corden.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • No amount of macho beatdowns in the UFC cage matches on the White House lawn will make anyone forget Epstein’s depredations.
    Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • The striped bass shark depredations have also been occurring off Chatham’s Monomoy Island — a hotspot for seals, which attract great white sharks.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • To an outsider, the scene may spark a certain Schadenfreude, like an army of tiny barbarians sacking Rome.
    Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • One source close to the squad, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, told The Athletic that the AUF considered sacking Bielsa around this period, aware of the ongoing issues with the squad.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • To the family’s lawyer, Markus Stötzel, the case is a typical example of Nazi plunder in need of immediate restoration.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
  • The second — a fastball Horwitz hit about 100 mph for a double to right field — was the start of a Pirate plunder at Sutter Health Park.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Want to stop raiding the fridge every night before bed?
    Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 16 June 2026
  • While our dreams of raiding Tay Tay’s closet will likely never come true, that won’t stop of from borrowing her style and shopping Swift’s favorite designer brands.
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 16 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pillaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillaging. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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