despoil
verb (used with object)
to strip of possessions, things of value, etc.; rob; plunder; pillage.
despoiling
-
present participleof despoil.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Miners hauled in hydraulic equipment to dig and dredge and strip the mountains, polluting the runoff so badly that in 1874, the flatlanders who depended on that water went to court to stop the despoiling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2025
Plastic, along with other litter, is also despoiling the landscape and polluting our waterways.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 7, 2023
The world is currently producing about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, with less than 10% of it being recycled, according to the UN Environment Programme, choking landfills and despoiling oceans.
From Reuters ● Nov. 12, 2023
Residents of Papua New Guinea have accused the mining company Rio Tinto of violating their human rights by despoiling the land where they live.
From New York Times ● Dec. 9, 2022
“We are on the trail of a gang of international thieves who came to France for the purpose of despoiling our museums,” a police spokesman announced.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
