as in to plunder
to search through with the intent of committing robbery
the burglars despoiled the art museum in search of treasures they thought they could sell to a fence
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Recent Examples of despoil
But that hasn’t dissuaded some people in the Middle East and North Africa from doing to rivers what others all over the globe have done to theirs: despoil and deplete them.
—
Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
The monument, situated along the Arizona Strip, aims to protect the Grand Canyon from more uranium mining, which Native Americans said would despoil many sacred ancestral sites, leach into aquifers and threaten water supplies.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
In stark contrast to the sensible environmental policies of his Republican predecessors, Watt’s policy enthusiasms included drilling, clear-cutting, despoiling public lands, and shredding environmental regulations.
—Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 16 June 2023
This urge to despoil images of the unpopular goes a long way toward explaining why so many statues of Nero lost their heads, said Eric R. Varner, professor of classics and art history at Emory University.
—Graham Bowley, New York Times, 12 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for despoil
Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
The monument, situated along the Arizona Strip, aims to protect the Grand Canyon from more uranium mining, which Native Americans said would despoil many sacred ancestral sites, leach into aquifers and threaten water supplies.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
In stark contrast to the sensible environmental policies of his Republican predecessors, Watt’s policy enthusiasms included drilling, clear-cutting, despoiling public lands, and shredding environmental regulations.
—Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 16 June 2023
This urge to despoil images of the unpopular goes a long way toward explaining why so many statues of Nero lost their heads, said Eric R. Varner, professor of classics and art history at Emory University.
—Graham Bowley, New York Times, 12 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for despoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despoil
Verb
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The British Museum has many artifacts in its collection which were plundered during imperial and colonial eras, and are contested.—
Lauren Frayer,
NPR,
11 July 2025
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In time, settlers would excavate and plunder countless ancestral ruins across the Southwest, with artifacts carried off to private collections and museum displays.—
Mike Bezemek,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Noni finds him in Crete, where Lion’s crew of pirates, assembled from fighters from around the world, are currently pillaging and enslaving a town.—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
9 June 2025
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Angry over the tagless intruders' prior antics in pillaging their resources, a horde of players descend upon the USS Callister crew, who flee while digital Nanette makes her way to the engine in the hopes of finding a solve.—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Ange Postecoglou was sacked two weeks later and replaced by Thomas Frank.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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On a stroll through New York City yesterday, Hathaway’s outfit offered a fun solution for not sacking off your denim in the high summer heat just yet.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The crowds are usually made up of people desperate for food who grab supplies off the passing trucks, and armed gangs have also looted trucks.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Chicago Tribune,
4 July 2025
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The Journal Sentinel is not specifying the location at the request of tribal officials, due to the risk of looting.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despoil. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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