1
as in plundered
to search through with the intent of committing robbery
it was clear that the thieves who had ransacked the museum were professionals—they bypassed most of the exhibits and went straight for the vaults
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in searched
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
I've ransacked the whole house for that book you lent me and it's nowhere to be found
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ransacked
Investigators said the suspects ransacked the Scott Road house, but the homeowners said nothing was stolen.
—
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
The back door was smashed and the home ransacked.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
On the drive back to her dormitory, Daisy sees that the florist’s shop has been ransacked.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
The house was ransacked, signaling a struggle, and blood was on a rocking chair.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Seemingly half of the testers in the gondolas (Sephora-speak for brand shelving) at their Beverly Hills location looked like they had been ransacked by zombies.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
Someone had entered through her bathroom window, the only one in the house without an alarm, and ransacked the place.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
With drum circles, ransacked guest rooms and theatrical confrontations staged across sandy paths and candlelit dinners, guests become active participants in the drama.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota, remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception.
—February 25, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
The back door was smashed and the home ransacked.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
On the drive back to her dormitory, Daisy sees that the florist’s shop has been ransacked.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
The house was ransacked, signaling a struggle, and blood was on a rocking chair.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Seemingly half of the testers in the gondolas (Sephora-speak for brand shelving) at their Beverly Hills location looked like they had been ransacked by zombies.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
Someone had entered through her bathroom window, the only one in the house without an alarm, and ransacked the place.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
With drum circles, ransacked guest rooms and theatrical confrontations staged across sandy paths and candlelit dinners, guests become active participants in the drama.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota, remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception.
—February 25, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransacked
Verb
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Magyar has called for all of Orbán’s cronies in the government to resign and has committed to holding to account those who plundered Hungary.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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The collapse of Prospect Medical, a for-profit hospital chain plundered by private equity and the company’s management, has generated a painful litany of woes.—
Peter Elkind,
ProPublica,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That combination of surprise and delight led to a sellout Friday – the stands were packed well before game time – and a challenge for anyone who searched for tickets.—
Todd Harmonson,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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Deputies searched the area with help from Los Altos and Sunnyvale officers, but did not find the suspect.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, that permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses.—
Jackie Hajdenberg,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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All the State Forensic Authority’s DNA analysis labs were looted and destroyed in the fighting.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Carter also co-founded a non-profit in his community called The Local Voice, which aided women fighting breast cancer.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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The story of the site, which was subsequently bought by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp in 2005, is told in MySpace, a documentary directed by Tommy Avallone and produced by Gunpowder & Sky, the company founded by former MTV boss Van Toffler.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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North Texas — whose roster was pillaged in the portal and saw its top players leave for Oklahoma State alongside former head coach Eric Morris — have signed 42 transfers.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Jan. 2026
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In a landscape of sequels and overly pillaged IP, the Stranger Things finale is finite and close-ended, the credits rolling once and for all.—
Yohana Desta,
Rolling Stone,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The film subsequently triggered an investigation into the nature of the relationship between Michael and Arvizo, and, in November 2003, more than 40 police officers raided Neverland Ranch, per The Guardian.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
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Earlier this month, police raided the offices of Novaya Gazeta, the independent newspaper whose co-founder won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He was sacked at Fenerbahce after losing in the Champions League play-offs to, well, Benfica, who hired him a couple of weeks later.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked 54 times in 2025, third most in the NFL, and finding offensive line depth was among the team’s priorities entering the draft.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the 21st century, oil extraction has become a serious threat to Ecuadoran Amazonia, with large swaths of forest, often located in Indigenous territories, despoiled by the release of wastewater from the wells.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ransacked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransacked. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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