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loot

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verb

as in to plunder
to search through with the intent of committing robbery the bandits looted the archaeological dig before riding off into the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun loot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of loot are booty, plunder, prize, spoils, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When could booty be used to replace loot?

While in some cases nearly identical to loot, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When might plunder be a better fit than loot?

In some situations, the words plunder and loot are roughly equivalent. However, plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of loot?

Although the words prize and loot 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 loot?

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 loot
Noun
Although backpacks can be upgraded to house more loot, most of what’s found will quickly fill up your inventory after just a couple of minutes searching. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025 Adjusted the positions of certain loot chests in Castles. Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
On April 14, armed men looted an MSF hospital in Ulang, Upper Nile State, cutting off access to secondary healthcare for thousands, the charity said. Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 3 May 2025 Hamas has acknowledged executing individuals accused of looting and announced a 5,000-member force to combat armed criminals. Juwayriah Wright, Time, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for loot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loot
Noun
  • Last month, in another headline-grabbing food plunder, 100,000 organic eggs were taken from a distribution trailer in Pennsylvania.
    Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Such tactics included the extraordinary plunder and destruction of the Hundred Years’ War and the fire bombings of cities in World War II.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The 73-year-old victim was on the phone with the scammer, who was walking her through the step-by-step process to deposit the cash.
    Hailey Clevenger, USA Today, 3 June 2025
  • Arrive early, bring cash and a cart, dress for the heat, and don’t skip any rows—treasures can turn up anywhere.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Paulo Fonseca was sacked in December, while the end of the season saw the club decide to end Sergio Conceicao’s tenure after an eighth-place finish.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Former Porto head coach Conceicao was sacked after just five months in charge on Thursday following a disappointing eighth place finish in Serie A that saw the club miss out on European qualification for 2025-26.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • While half a dozen of the most popular parks now require reservations just to get in, and others are plagued by bumper-to-bumper traffic between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there are still a handful of natural treasures that haven’t (yet) been discovered by the masses.
    Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • Of course, Grandma’s garden was always hiding more treasures.
    Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • In the short run, using money to buy power and power to make money may shield them from Trump’s rages.
    Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
  • Supporters say the extra money is a smart investment because of the crucial decisions council members and the mayor must make, including reading contracts, making policies and understanding proposals to make nuanced changes to city laws and codes.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • On Sunday, the editorial staff of Télé Pluriel in the Delmas 19 neighborhood, said heavily armed gang members had broken through the station’s main barrier sometime during the night and set fire to its premises while also pillaging their offices.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Uh uh, method dressing is forever, at least for Timothée Chalamet—until the next role-of-a-lifetime comes along, or the parcels of Bob Dylan ephemera pillaged from the online auction houses stop coming through the young actor’s door that is.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The biggest hurdle will be solving distribution – creating a network effect that results in a coin being widely adopted.
    Michael Abbott, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • The coin's limited reach is compounded by a lack of real users.
    MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Wolves might be about to get raided for a second time.
    Phil Hay June 2, New York Times, 2 June 2025
  • Though the police had raided Stonewall Inn and countless others before, the events of June 28, 1969, known as the Stonewall Riots, spearheaded a six-day uprising for LGBTQ+ rights.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Loot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loot. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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