pillage 1 of 2

as in plunder
valuables stolen or taken by force the pirate ship was laden with the pillage of merchant ships from across the Spanish Main

Synonyms & Similar Words

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pillage

2 of 2

verb

as in to plunder
to search through with the intent of committing robbery soldiers pillaging the countryside for anything of value

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pillage contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pillage are despoil, devastate, ravage, sack, and waste. While all these words mean "to lay waste by plundering or destroying," pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack.

settlements pillaged by Vikings

Where would despoil be a reasonable alternative to pillage?

In some situations, the words despoil and pillage are roughly equivalent. However, despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction.

the Nazis despoiled the art museums

When is it sensible to use devastate instead of pillage?

The synonyms devastate and pillage are sometimes interchangeable, but devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.

an earthquake devastated the city

When might ravage be a better fit than pillage?

While the synonyms ravage and pillage are close in meaning, ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction.

a hurricane ravaged the coast

When would sack be a good substitute for pillage?

The words sack and pillage can be used in similar contexts, but sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place.

barbarians sacked ancient Rome

When could waste be used to replace pillage?

The words waste and pillage are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action.

years of drought had wasted the area

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 pillage
Noun
In my youth, people who needed a geopolitical enemy looked for foes closer to home: US imperialism, capitalist pillage. Laura Kipnis, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023 Slave-trading, mostly, along with mass murder, pillage and corruption. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 6 Oct. 2023
Verb
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 Congo accuses Rwanda of using the M23 to pillage valuable mineral deposits. Reuters, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pillage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillage
Noun
  • While in Africa, Suchet visits Kimberley, the site of diamond mines (and where Rhodes founded the De Beers diamond company), and the plunder and extraction are so clear.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The revisionists aim to create an environment primed for expansion and plunder.
    HAL BRANDS, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • That childhood dream has been shattered, much like the Centre, looted and destroyed.
    Omnia Saed, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The station, per a note, was looted sometime between Wednesday and Thursday.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Then, on Thursday, Kiir sacked the governor of Upper Nile State, who hailed from Machar's party.
    Kate Bartlett, NPR, 22 Mar. 2025
  • And now 10 engineers charged with developing the AI have been sacked and the fate of the project has been thrown into doubt, staff told Forbes.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Pillage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillage. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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