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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ransack
Instead, Mercy finds a dead man in the cabin, which has been ransacked.
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Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024
About 50 juveniles ransack 7-Eleven in L.A., latest in string of robberies targeting the chain.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
One of them occurred on Oct. 1 and involved $20 in cash being stolen from the church, while another on Oct. 6 resulted in a pastor's office being ransacked and a mason jar full of change being taken, according to the arrest report.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
From repeatedly denigrating Tom’s college girlfriend to basically demanding their unborn child be a girl, and yes, for sure, gleefully ransacking Benji and Amelia’s wedding gifts with zero hesitation.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ransack 
Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024
About 50 juveniles ransack 7-Eleven in L.A., latest in string of robberies targeting the chain.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
One of them occurred on Oct. 1 and involved $20 in cash being stolen from the church, while another on Oct. 6 resulted in a pastor's office being ransacked and a mason jar full of change being taken, according to the arrest report.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
From repeatedly denigrating Tom’s college girlfriend to basically demanding their unborn child be a girl, and yes, for sure, gleefully ransacking Benji and Amelia’s wedding gifts with zero hesitation.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ransack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransack
Verb
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The study authors believe the orcas are plundering the whale shark’s large and nutrient-rich liver, which makes up a significant amount of the shark’s body weight,but the researchers didn’t observe the orcas consuming the organ.Katie Hunt, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
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The artwork was plundered by French troops in 1892, and the pieces’ return to Benin more almost 150 years later caused an outrage among University of Abomey-Calavi students.Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Folks began searching for the word pander more in mid-October, when Democrats and Republicans mocked each other leading up to the presidential election.Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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That the Astros are shopping setup man Ryan Pressly already suggests the club is searching for ways to create payroll space.Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Roman Empire continues to grow, pillaging every culture in its path and forcing the survivors to fight for their lives in the ring.Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024
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More than 33,000 people fled Haiti’s capital in a span of less than two weeks as gangs pillaged homes and attacked state institutions, according to a report last month from the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration.Elliot Spagat, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2024
Verb
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Popular on Variety Moreover, those who have highly specialized skills — research, analytics, marketing, finance — can find themselves in demand as consultants and contract workers from the same companies that have gutted their teams through layoffs.Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 14 Dec. 2024
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Good catchers are hard to find, and the Cubs viewed the possibility of trading for one as increasingly unlikely.Sahadev Sharma, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In March, the FBI raided the facility, leading the agency to sack its current warden after less than three months on the job.Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 7 Dec. 2024
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Williams drove the Bears into Lions territory in a bid to set up a field goal which would’ve sent the game to overtime, but the 2024 No. 1 overall pick was sacked on second-and-20 from the 35-yard line.Ben Morse, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Following an exchange of fire with U.N. peacekeepers defending the position, the base was partially looted.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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City leaders, including the mayor, sheriff, and a Christian minister, intervened to prevent arson and murders, but white gangs looted Chinatown.Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 26 Nov. 2024
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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Daniel Karmann | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Adidas’ German headquarters was raided on Tuesday in connection with a yearslong tax investigation, the company confirmed to CNBC in a statement.Gabrielle Fonrouge,Jessica Golden, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
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Also, in 2021, the place was raided by the F.B.I. Check for bugs.Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ransack
Cite this Entry
“Ransack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransack. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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