loot
1 Americannoun
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spoils or plunder taken by pillaging, as in war.
- Synonyms:
- booty
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anything taken by dishonesty, force, stealth, etc..
a burglar's loot.
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a collection of valued objects.
The children shouted and laughed as they opened their Christmas loot.
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Slang. money.
You'll have a fine time spending all that loot.
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the act of looting or plundering.
to take part in the loot of a conquered city.
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(in a video game) valuable items that can be claimed from a defeated enemy or cache.
I was hoping for new armor, but this loot was pretty disappointing.
verb (used with object)
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to carry off or take (something) as loot.
to loot a nation's art treasures.
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to despoil by taking loot; plunder or pillage (a city, house, etc.), as in war.
The invaders looted temples and shrines.
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to rob, as by burglary or corrupt activity in public office.
to loot the public treasury.
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(in a video game) to collect (items from a defeated enemy or cache).
Loot all of the bodies and treasure chests before you exit the dungeon.
verb (used without object)
verb
noun
-
goods stolen during pillaging, as in wartime, during riots, etc
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goods, money, etc, obtained illegally
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informal money or wealth
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the act of looting or plundering
verb
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to pillage (a city, settlement, etc) during war or riots
-
to steal (money or goods), esp during pillaging
Usage
What does loot mean? Loot is an informal way to collectively refer to valued goods, often ones that are newly acquired, as in That is one big pile of birthday presents—look at all that loot!This meaning of loot is an extension of its original sense, which is still used but less commonly: goods stolen during war. Close synonyms are spoils and plunder. These words and loot can also refer more generally to anything stolen or taken in a dishonest way, such as through burglary or embezzlement.Loot can also be used as a verb meaning to steal things in this way. It is most commonly used to refer to opportunistically stealing things from physical locations during chaotic situations, when police or other authorities are preoccupied, such as in the midst of war or a massive protest. It can also be used in a general or somewhat metaphorical way—crimes like embezzling government money are sometimes referred to as looting the treasury. The act of doing so is called looting, and those who do it are called looters. These terms and the verb loot are always used negatively. They’re sometimes used in a loaded way that’s intended to portray people as lawless, such as when one tries to discredit protesters by calling them rioters and looters.Example: The museum has chosen to return artifacts that were looted from other nations during antiquity.
Other Word Forms
- looter noun
Etymology
Origin of loot
First recorded in 1780–90; from Hindi lūṭ, from Sanskrit lotra, loptra “booty, spoil”
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.
When the war ends, the family returns to their home city of Berkeley, where their household belongings have been looted—down to the plants in the garden.
Bangladesh's leading prime ministerial hopeful Tarique Rahman said on Tuesday he faces "huge" challenges if he wins elections this week, vowing to repair a country he said was looted under the previous ousted government.
From Barron's
"Taking back cultural artefacts that were looted is actually something a lot of people hope for - and fantasise about," Ncube, who is from Zambia, told the BBC.
From BBC
Records state that all 45 members of the crew abandoned the ship safely when it grounded, but the wreck was soon looted by people in the area.
From BBC
The strange thing was, our store was the only one that had been looted like this.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
