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
Prosecutors said Tatara went back and forth from ransacking Czech’s camp and punching, kicking and hitting Czech with the cast iron skillet.
—
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Tillis said the plaque may be displayed in the Senate's third-floor public gallery, one area that was ransacked by rioters.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
She was immediately struck and restrained with zip ties on her hands and feet, and one of the men covered her mouth while the group ransacked the home, according to the affidavit.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
After the Second Temple of Jerusalem was ransacked by Antiochus, there was only enough oil in the jar to burn for a single day.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Tillis said the plaque may be displayed in the Senate's third-floor public gallery, one area that was ransacked by rioters.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
She was immediately struck and restrained with zip ties on her hands and feet, and one of the men covered her mouth while the group ransacked the home, according to the affidavit.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
After the Second Temple of Jerusalem was ransacked by Antiochus, there was only enough oil in the jar to burn for a single day.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ransack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransack
Verb
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Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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The Scandinavian Vikings were a seafaring people who plundered both north and west Europe for centuries — a pretty tough group.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Just search The Outside Podcast on YouTube to enjoy these chitchats with your eyes as well as your ears.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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Give it a Google search Law enforcement, government officials, think tanks and academics have spent two decades searching for evidence of noncitizens voting.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Recent grocery store closures have rocked the north side of Milwaukee, where growing food deserts – areas where quality food is difficult to find – have left entire neighborhoods without ready access to food.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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For his courtroom outbursts, Davis found Thompson in contempt of court and added a little more than four and a half years to his sentence.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The item belongs to a rare collection of French crown jewels still held by the nation, after most were looted during the French Revolution beginning in 1789.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Law enforcement officers were injured, autonomous vehicles were set on fire and stores were looted.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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During the war, Israeli forces raided a number of hospitals, detaining hundreds of staffers.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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The report said a Plano property associated with a suspect in the investigation at the adult bookstore was also raided.—
Suryatapa Chakraborty,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ransack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransack. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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