plunder
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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to steal (valuables, goods, sacred items, etc) from (a town, church, etc) by force, esp in time of war; loot
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(tr) to rob or steal (choice or desirable things) from (a place)
to plunder an orchard
noun
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anything taken by plundering or theft; booty
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the act of plundering; pillage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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plunderernoun
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plunderableadjective
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plunderousadjective
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unplunderedadjective
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unplunderousadjective
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plunderinglyadverb
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unplunderouslyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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plundersimple
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plunderssimple
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have plunderedperfect
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has plunderedperfect
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am plunderingprogressive
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are plunderingprogressive
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is plunderingprogressive
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have been plunderingperfect progressive
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has been plunderingperfect progressive
Past
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plunderedsimple
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had plunderedperfect
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was plunderingprogressive
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were plunderingprogressive
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had been plunderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of plunder
First recorded in 1620–30, plunder is from the Dutch word plunderen
Explanation
Plunder can mean stolen goods or money obtained illegally, or the act of taking those things. A burglar might plunder a jewelry store and then sneak off with her plunder. Plunder is an old Middle High German word that originally meant "household goods and clothes": in other words, your stuff. During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), English speakers acquired this word while fighting in the land that is today Germany, but with the added meaning of taking the plunder as, well, plunder. As both a noun and verb, a synonym for plunder is loot.
Vocabulary lists containing plunder
Words Every Pirate Should Know
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The Odyssey
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 19–24
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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.
See Examples For:
Navy engaged with the British yet again, it also once more exposed American ships traveling Mediterranean to plunder from Barbary pirates, later resulting in the Second Barbary War.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
The movie toggles between the two narratives, slyly exploring the ways creators plunder the lives of those they know in the quest for a good story.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Machete in hand, Romee resident Jean-Paul Bitilaongi rejoiced at their successful bid to keep the forest out of reach of the "rich people" he says are trying to plunder it.
From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026
And hey, did you know that the word “raptor”—which is often used to describe birds of prey—comes from the Latin verb rapio, which means to plunder, rob, ravish, or abduct?
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2026
I beamed at Aunt Kitty, feeling clever at seizing the opportunity to be alone with Mrs. Maroney’s plunder.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
A blend of Islamic and Hindu beliefs has long served as a conservation code, with supernatural guardians believed to punish anyone who plunders the forest for greed.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
It has always been a taxing job, she says, but conditions have lately made it downright impossible, as staffing shortages nearly double her workload and a cost-of-living crisis plunders her modest paycheck.
From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2022
The narrator thinks about the way he plunders the lives of those around him.
From The New Yorker ● Aug. 13, 2018
Before anyone calls a lawyer, it is important to say that the Ontario woman whose life she plunders most is herself.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 8, 2012
And Mr. Winn speaks of “the many instances of the remarkable efforts of the authorities of the Prussian army to prevent plunders by their soldiers.”
From The Better Germany in War Time Being some Facts towards Fellowship by Picton, Harold W. (Harold Williams)
Kyiv plundered warehouses for veteran Soviet antiaircraft guns and fitted heavy machine guns, some almost a century old, with thermal imaging systems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026
In an abandoned warehouse in Johannesburg, Prof Grace sets out her high-stakes plan - to break into museums and private collections and take back artefacts mostly plundered during colonial times.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026
Kane plundered six goals in just five games against Norwich, including a pair of braces in 2015-16.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was found guilty on Friday of abusing his power in the 1MDB graft scandal, which saw billions plundered from the now-defunct sovereign wealth fund.
From Barron's ● Dec. 26, 2025
She hugged all of us except Dad—she had refused to speak a word to him since he plundered Oz—promised to write, and climbed into the station wagon.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
"If Auroville," which has a big international profile and has been praised by UNESCO, "does not hold out against the plundering and devastation of our natural resources, then we are all doomed," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
It’s all chintzy and campy, the plundering of low-hanging fruit.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
It was there, at the outbreak of World War II, that he helped to “rebury” the treasures of the National Archaeological Museum to protect them from bombing raids, Nazi archaeologists and plundering soldiers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
As technology for both finding and plundering these vessels has grown more sophisticated, more companies have entered the field, increasing competition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2024
“I think Gwin had good hunting last night. I hope he hasn’t been plundering a nest again. Perhaps it’s just Elinor’s rolls and eggs.”
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
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.
