pillage

American  

[pil-ij] / ˈpɪl ɪdʒ /

verb (used with object)

pillaged, pillaging

1. to strip ruthlessly of money or goods by open violence, as in war; plunder.

   The barbarians pillaged every conquered city.

   Synonyms:

   rape, despoil, spoil, sack, rob

2. to take as booty.

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verb (used without object)

pillaged, pillaging

1. to rob with open violence; take booty.

   Soldiers roamed the countryside, pillaging and killing.

noun

1. the act of plundering, especially in war.

   Synonyms:

   spoliation, depredation, rapine

2. booty or spoil.

   Synonyms:

   plunder

pillage British  

/ ˈpɪlɪdʒ /

verb

1. to rob (a town, village, etc) of (booty or spoils), esp during a war

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noun

1. the act of pillaging

2. something obtained by pillaging; booty

Other Word Forms

• pillager noun
• unpillaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of pillage

1350–1400; Middle English pilage ( pill ³, -age ), modeled on Middle French pillage (derivative of piller to pillage, originally, to abuse, mistreat, tear, of uncertain origin)

Example Sentences

Another, less grand perhaps, is the closeness of a community like Fairfax, where people volunteer their time to keep their facility open, while serial fraudsters are indicted for pillaging hospitals and overbilling the government.

From The Wall Street Journal

Throughout, “Pirates Wanted” explores how to navigate complicated family drama and romantic relationships when value systems — you know, looting and pillaging versus not — don’t align.

From Los Angeles Times

It has now been a decade since that distinctive riff on “The Shining,” and for Byrne’s third feature, he once again pillages from indelible sources.

From Los Angeles Times

It was a far cry from the claims of "looting and pillaging".

From BBC

They’ve pillaged and rampaged their way there, destroying everyone in their path while scoring 15 times in three playoff wins in which they’ve never trailed.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• desecrate
• loot
• maraud
• pilfer
• ransack
• ravage