Meanings
verbplunder (third-person singular simple present plunders, present participle plundering, simple past and past participle plundered)
present singular third person plunders · participle present plundering · participle past plundered · past plundered
- transitiveTo pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
The mercenaries plundered the small town.
2 more examples
The shopkeeper was plundered of his possessions by the burglar.
Now Azaēlos, the king of Syria, made war on the Israelites and their king Jehu, and ravaged the eastern parts of the country across the Jordan […] spreading fire everywhere and plundering everything and inflicting violence on all who fell into his hands.
1937, Josephus, Ralph Marcus, transl., chapter VIII, in Josephus: With an English Translation (Loeb Classical Library), volume VI (Jewish Antiquities), London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, published 1958, →OCLC, book IX, paragraph 1, page 87 - transitiveTo take (goods) by pillage.
The mercenaries plundered all the goods they found.
- transitiveTo make extensive (over)use of, as if by plundering; to use or use up wrongfully.
The miners plundered the jungle for its diamonds till it became a muddy waste.
- transitiveTo take unexpectedly.
The Serb teed up Steve Davis, who crossed low for Graziano Pellè to plunder his fifth league goal of the campaign.
2014 October 18, Paul Doyle, “Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter”, in The Guardian - Philippinescriminal lawTo amass ill-gotten wealth (by public officials) through a combination or series of overt criminal acts.
nounplunder (uncountable)
- uncountableAn instance of plundering.
- PhilippinesuncountablecrimeThe commission of plunder (verb definition 6).
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
nounThe loot attained by plundering.
More synonyms by meaning
noungoods or money obtained illegally
Broader
stolen property
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Low Germanplunderen
- Germanplündern“to loot”
- Englishplunder
Recorded since 1632 during the Thirty Years War, native British use since the Cromwellian Civil War. Borrowed from German plündern (“to loot”), from Middle High German, from Middle Low German plunderen, from a noun originally meaning "household goods, bedding, clothing," of obscure ultimate origin. This is first attested in medieval records, and according to Gijsseling, is therefore attested too late to be considered a substrate word. Due to the lack of obvious cognates in other languages from which it would have been loaned, it could have developed as some slang word in Lower Saxony/the Low Countries. Cognate with Dutch plunderen, West Frisian plonderje, Saterland Frisian plunnerje. Probably denominal from a word for “household goods, clothes, bedding”; compare Middle Dutch plunder, German Plunder (“stuff”), Dutch and West Frisian plunje (“clothes”). The Philippine definitions originate with the Anti-Plunder Act, an act of Congress enacted in 1991.
More words from German, Middle Low German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πορθέω, συλάω
- πορθέω (porthéō)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- συλάω (suláō)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- σκυλεύω (skuleúō)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- σκῦλα (skûla)loot attained by plundering
- λάφυρα (láphura)loot attained by plundering
- ἕλωρ (hélōr)loot attained by plundering
Arabic سَلَبَ, نَهَبَ
- سَلَبَ (salaba)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- نَهَبَ (nahaba)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- حَرَبَ (ḥaraba)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Bulgarian плячкосвам, ограбвам
- плячкосвам (pljačkosvam)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- ограбвам (ograbvam)3. to take by force or wrongfully
- грабя (grabja)3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- грабеж (grabež)instance of plundering
- обир (obir)instance of plundering
- плячка (pljačka)loot attained by plundering
Catalan pillar, saquejar
- pillar1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- saquejar1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Chinese Mandarin 掠奪 /掠夺
- 掠奪 /掠夺 (lüèduó)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Czech vyplenit, rabovat
- vyplenit1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- rabovat1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- loupit3. to take by force or wrongfully
- luploot attained by plundering
- kořistloot attained by plundering
Dutch plunderen, brandschatten
- plunderen1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- brandschatten1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- plunderen3. to take by force or wrongfully
- roven3. to take by force or wrongfully
- plunderen3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- roven3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- plunderen4. to use or use up wrongfully
- leegroven4. to use or use up wrongfully
- opgebruiken4. to use or use up wrongfully
- uitputten4. to use or use up wrongfully
- plunderinginstance of plundering
- brandschattinginstance of plundering
- buitloot attained by plundering
- plunderbuitloot attained by plundering
Finnish ryöstää, ryöstää
- ryöstää1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- ryöstää3. to take by force or wrongfully
- ryöstää3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- ryöstää4. to use or use up wrongfully
- ryöstöinstance of plundering
- ryöstösaalisloot attained by plundering
French piller, pillage
- piller1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- pillageinstance of plundering
- butinloot attained by plundering
German ausplündern, plündern
- ausplündern1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- plündern1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- plündern3. to take by force or wrongfully
- plündern3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- ausbeuten4. to use or use up wrongfully
- ausplündern4. to use or use up wrongfully
- Plünderunginstance of plundering
- Beuteloot attained by plundering
- Raubgutloot attained by plundering
Greek λεηλατώ, λαφυραγωγώ
- λεηλατώ (leïlató)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- λαφυραγωγώ (lafyragogó)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- διαγουμίζω (diagoumízo)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- κουρσεύω (koursévo)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- πλιατσικολογώ (pliatsikologó)3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- λεηλατώ (leïlató)3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- καταληστεύω (katalistévo)4. to use or use up wrongfully
- πλιάτσικο (pliátsiko)instance of plundering
- λεηλασία (leïlasía)instance of plundering
- λαφυραγώγηση (lafyragógisi)instance of plundering
- κούρσεμα (koúrsema)instance of plundering
- διαγούμισμα (diagoúmisma)instance of plundering
- λάφυρα (láfyra)loot attained by plundering
- λεία (leía)loot attained by plundering
Hebrew בַּז
- בַּז (baz)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Hungarian kifoszt, fosztogat
- kifoszt1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- fosztogat3. to take by force or wrongfully
- kirabol3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- kifoszt4. to use or use up wrongfully
- zsákmányloot attained by plundering
Indonesian menjarah
- menjarah1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Irish slad, creach
- slad1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- creach1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- slad3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- argaininstance of plundering
- sladloot attained by plundering
Italian saccheggiare, depredare
- saccheggiare1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- depredare1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- predare1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- fare man bassa1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- razziare3. to take by force or wrongfully
- rapinare3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- saccheggiare4. to use or use up wrongfully
- saccheggioinstance of plundering
- saccoinstance of plundering
- bottinoloot attained by plundering
Japanese 略奪する
- 略奪する (ryakudatsu suru)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Korean 약탈
- 약탈 (yaktal)instance of plundering
Latin praedo, expīlō
- praedo1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- expīlō1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- populor1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- rapīnainstance of plundering
- praedaloot attained by plundering
Māori whakarekereke, pāhuahua
- whakarekereke1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- pāhuahua1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- pāhua1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- pāhue1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- tūkuku1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- mūrei1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- hone1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- kōhunu1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- hui3. to take by force or wrongfully
- pāhuahua3. to take by force or wrongfully
- pāhua3. to take by force or wrongfully
- pāhue3. to take by force or wrongfully
Norwegian Bokmål plyndre, plyndre
- plyndre1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- plyndre3. to take by force or wrongfully
- plyndre3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- plyndringinstance of plundering
- bytteloot attained by plundering
Persian غارَت, تاراج
- غارَت (ġârat)instance of plundering
- تاراج (târâj)instance of plundering
- چپاول (čapâvol)instance of plundering
Polish łupić, złupić
- łupić1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- złupić1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- grabić1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- ograbić1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- zagrabić1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- obłupić1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- plądrować1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- splądrować1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- rabować1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- zrabować1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- obrabować1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Portuguese saquear, pilhar
- saquear1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- pilhar1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- bundar1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- saquear3. to take by force or wrongfully
- pilhar3. to take by force or wrongfully
- pilhar3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- saquear3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- saqueinstance of plundering
- pilhageminstance of plundering
- saqueloot attained by plundering
- butimloot attained by plundering
Punjabi ਲੁੱਟਣਾ
- ਲੁੱਟਣਾ (luṭṭaṇā)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Romanian prăda, despuia
- prăda1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- despuia1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- pradăloot attained by plundering
Russian гра́бить, грабёж
- гра́бить (grábitʹ)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- грабёж (grabjóž)instance of plundering
- разграбле́ние (razgrablénije)instance of plundering
- награ́бленное добро́ (nagráblennoje dobró)loot attained by plundering
- добы́ча (dobýča)loot attained by plundering
- трофе́й (troféj)loot attained by plundering
Scottish Gaelic creach, creach
- creach1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- creach3. to take by force or wrongfully
- creach3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- creachloot attained by plundering
Spanish desvalijar, predar
- desvalijar1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- predar1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- prear1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Swedish plundra, plundra
- plundra1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- plundra3. to take by force or wrongfully
- plundra3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- plundringinstance of plundering
Turkish yağmalamak, talan etmek
- yağmalamak1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- talan etmek1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- gasp etmek3. to take by force or wrongfully
- çalmak3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- aşırmak3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)
- yağmainstance of plundering
- talaninstance of plundering
- ganimetloot attained by plundering
- olcaloot attained by plundering
- yağmaloot attained by plundering
- çapulloot attained by plundering
- talanloot attained by plundering
- plaçkaloot attained by plundering
Ukrainian плюндрува́ти, сплюндрува́ти
- плюндрува́ти (pljundruváty)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- сплюндрува́ти (spljundruváty)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- поплюндрува́ти (popljundruváty)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- розграбо́вувати (rozhrabóvuvaty)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- розграбува́ти (rozhrabuváty)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
- грабува́ти (hrabuváty)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Welsh ysbeilio
- ysbeilio1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Yiddish אַוועקגזלען
- אַוועקגזלען (avekgazlen)1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with plunder
underwonderthunderthereunderblunderfunderasundersunderchunderdundergazunderland undernine-day wonder
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
plunder. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plunder
MLA
“plunder.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plunder. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “plunder,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plunder.
Source: plunder on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.