plunder 1 of 2

Definition of plundernext
1
as in loot
valuables stolen or taken by force the thieves were promptly arrested when they tried to sell their plunder

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in possession
chiefly dialect transportable items that one owns with all of our plunder in the pickup, we headed for the state that bills itself as the Last Frontier

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

plunder

2 of 2

verb

as in to pillage
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the escaped convict plundered the house in search of valuables

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plunder differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of plunder are booty, loot, prize, spoils, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

When could booty be used to replace plunder?

The words booty and plunder are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When would loot be a good substitute for plunder?

The synonyms loot and plunder are sometimes interchangeable, but loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When is prize a more appropriate choice than plunder?

Although the words prize and plunder 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 plunder?

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 plunder
Noun
Well, there’s this band of down-on-their-luck pirates, see, drawn to the scent of plunder and rousing dance numbers, coming together in another Citadel outdoor summer extravaganza full of music and fun for the whole family, according to the Citadel website. Gina Grillo, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025 At the Jeu de Paume museum, Valland took many risks to safeguard its treasures and record the massive plunder of artwork across France. Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 18 June 2025
Verb
An increasing number of bears had previously been observed spending more time on land during the summer, plundering birds’ nests in west Svalbard, and data had shown more adult females in east Svalbard spending more time in areas with bird colonies. Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026 Bainbridge wasn’t shy about plundering her personal life for material. Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plunder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunder
Noun
  • There’s also the thrill of opening loot boxes, which can trigger a feeling like hitting the jackpot on a slot machine.
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Player Projects require Raiders to go out into the various maps and find loot, which must then be committed in order to progress and earn rewards.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • City had 61 per cent possession and their passing accuracy in the final third was 84 per cent before the break compared to Liverpool’s dismal 43 per cent.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The control does not have to be an arrest or physical possession of a person.
    Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • North Texas — whose roster was pillaged in the portal and saw its top players leave for Oklahoma State alongside former head coach Eric Morris — have signed 42 transfers.
    Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
  • In a landscape of sequels and overly pillaged IP, the Stranger Things finale is finite and close-ended, the credits rolling once and for all.
    Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Fact-check things on social media before reposting them, using sources that provide links to original documents.
    Brenda Looper, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Kisilevych noted that some Ukrainians are promised that if things go wrong, they will be exchanged for Ukrainian citizens held as prisoners of war by Russia.
    Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Maye was sacked 21 times in the playoffs — the most ever for a QB in a single postseason.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • With the fate of Palace’s previous two managers effectively sealed after defeats here, a loss would have seen Glasner eclipse Patrick Vieira’s 12-game winless run, a sequence which led to the Frenchman being sacked following this fixture three years ago.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Documents ranged from official descriptions of the cotton experiment led by engineer Eduardo Chávez on the Mexican side of the US-Mexico border to inventories listing of the belongings carried by deportees returning to Mexico.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Deep pockets on either side offer ample space to hold your belongings, and the super-stretchy, soft fabric will become a favorite for maintaining full-day comfort.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In the 21st century, oil extraction has become a serious threat to Ecuadoran Amazonia, with large swaths of forest, often located in Indigenous territories, despoiled by the release of wastewater from the wells.
    Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Decades of despoiling water bodies have taken a terrible toll, filling water bodies with fetid algae that blocks sunlight and smothers the native seagrass beds that are a main food source for manatees.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • That lineup did a great job of preparing, did a great job of laying off stuff in the dirt.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Part of what makes Nightborn both stomach-churning and thought-provoking is how all the crazy stuff happening is just a slightly — okay, substantially — exaggerated version of the reality so many first-time parents face.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Plunder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunder. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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