1
as in to plunder
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 to search
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ransack
Some soldiers, when sent to ransack an office that oversees elections, ate instant ramen at a convenience store instead.
—
E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
Militants broke through the border fence of the kibbutz and ransacked the neighborhood.
—Associated Press, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
Animals had ransacked the boat shed; every last life jacket, fishing net and fuel tank had been pulled off the shelves and thrown on the floor.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
This included access to emergency and critical medical care after gangs in December ransacked and burned down one of two hospitals the U.N. could use, leading to its indefinite closure.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
Militants broke through the border fence of the kibbutz and ransacked the neighborhood.
—Associated Press, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
Animals had ransacked the boat shed; every last life jacket, fishing net and fuel tank had been pulled off the shelves and thrown on the floor.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
This included access to emergency and critical medical care after gangs in December ransacked and burned down one of two hospitals the U.N. could use, leading to its indefinite closure.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransack
Verb
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In Musk’s telling, Altman illegally partnered with Microsoft to establish a web of illicit affiliates and plunder its nonprofit arm of assets and staff in violation of their deal.—
Winston Cho,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Feb. 2025
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Loggers are plundering giant sequoias in Yosemite and poachers are decimating bison herds in Yellowstone.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside Online,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the 50 years since Hilbert’s 10th problem was resolved, mathematicians have been searching for this cutoff.—
Joseph Howlett,
WIRED,
9 Mar. 2025
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East Point, Prince Edward Island Less than ninety minutes east of the provincial capital of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island’s East Point is perfect for a morning spent searching for shorebirds on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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White mobs also used the rumors to justify hunting Black citizens in the area for days, murdering men, women, and children and pillaging and burning their property.—
Christmaelle Vernet & Kathy Roberts Forde / Made by History,
TIME,
28 Feb. 2025
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After pillaging and gutting the U.S. government, the Western alliance and our relationship with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump is thinking of himself as a king and cogitating on a third term.—
Maureen Dowd,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Around the world, the evidence for the value of social progress is conclusive: McKinsey’s global research found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to experience above-average profitability.—
Paul Klein,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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The increasing regional influence within the industry shows no signs of slowing, as various multicultural expectations are finding application.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The four-man pass rush generated 16 pressures and sacked Mahomes six times, the most in his career.—
Nate Taylor,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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The Philadelphia Eagles completely stymied the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense in Super Bowl LIX, sacking Patrick Mahomes and causing three turnovers on their way to a big win.—
Ryan Gaydos,
Fox News,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The announcement also acknowledged the items had been looted by British soldiers in 1897 from the Kingdom of Benin, sold, and eventually ended up in the Dutch State Collection.—
Karen K. Ho,
ARTnews.com,
21 Feb. 2025
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An escaped convict teams up with his Italian buddy and an army deserter to plan a spectacular bank robbery, looting a U.S. military base for the necessary firepower.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The world is a stakeholder, not a bystander, and cannot remain silent as Brazil despoils this indispensable carbon sink, irreplaceable oxygen source, and precious repository of plant and animal life.—
Stewart Patrick,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Oct. 2021
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Meanwhile, human activity has imperiled biodiversity as people despoil lands and waters, introduce invasive species, and harvest natural resources unsustainably.—
Stewart Patrick,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Oct. 2021
Verb
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After it was flagged to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2016, her home was raided.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
25 Feb. 2025
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Shortly thereafter, federal agents raided the Department of Education’s (DOE) headquarters at Tweed Courthouse, searching for further evidence of corruption.—
Matt Gonzales,
New York Daily News,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ransack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransack. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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