loot
noun
\ ˈlüt
\
\
Definition of loot
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: goods usually of considerable value taken in war : spoils
The soldiers helped themselves to any loot that they could find.
2
: something held to resemble goods of value seized in war: such as
a
: something appropriated illegally often by force or violence
the thieves' loot
b
: illicit gains by public officials
c
: money
would not … spend all that loot on her— Langston Hughes
3
: the action of looting
general loot of church land— Hilaire Belloc
loot
verb
looted;
looting;
loots
Definition of loot (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: to plunder or sack in war
b
: to rob especially on a large scale and usually by violence or corruption
2
: to seize and carry away by force especially in war
: to engage in robbing or plundering especially in war
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Synonyms for loot
Synonyms: Noun
booty, pillage, plunder, spoil, swag
Synonyms: Verb
despoil, maraud, pillage, plunder, ransack, sack
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Examples of loot in a Sentence
Noun
After raiding the town, the soldiers helped themselves to any loot that they could find. The thieves got a lot of loot in the robbery. He made a lot of loot selling cars.Verb
The soldiers were looting every house that they came to. Soldiers swept through the territory, looting, burning, and killing.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Epic had already removed loot boxes from the game before the lawsuit. — Washington Post, "Video game ‘loot boxes’ are going away and it could crush Rocket League’s black market," 27 Aug. 2019 In May, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would ban loot boxes in games aimed at players under 18. — Ben Brody, BostonGlobe.com, "Major players in video game industry change policies to address ‘loot box’ criticism," 8 Aug. 2019 This requirement will apply to all new games and includes updates to current games that add loot boxes through in-game purchases. — Patrick Shanley, The Hollywood Reporter, "Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo Vow to Disclose Odds of Loot Boxes on Their Platforms," 7 Aug. 2019 But the men behind the 2015 burglary of Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd. in London’s jewelry district — considered the greatest heist in Britain’s history, with loot totaling at least 14 million pounds — were every bit as amusing. — New York Times, "The Week in Arts: The Music of Birdsong, Captives Onstage and a Poet in Love," 6 July 2019 Mendes and Barraza play Ester and Teresa, who run a lakeside boardinghouse but make their real money from killing human traffickers and taking their loot. — Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Nicolas Cage has ‘A Score to Settle’; plus ‘The Operative’ and more," 1 Aug. 2019 The group was located by a citizen who told the youths to return their loot. — oregonlive.com, "Woman attempts late-night fishing over open manhole with make-shift pole: Forest Grove police log," 17 July 2019 One employee alerted the detective while the other confronted the suspects, who then fled with their loot, officials said. — Kim Fu, The Mercury News, "Teens arrested in Marin burglary may be linked to Bay Area thefts," 29 June 2019 After a stint in prison, the old friends make a bold play, raiding the unassuming-looking storage facility where their bosses stash their loot. — Noel Murray, latimes.com, "Reviews for ‘Daughter of the Wolf,’ ‘Lost Angelas,’ ‘Head Count,’ ‘Killer Unicorn,’ ‘Vault’," 13 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Latasha Wisniewski, 38, used the false promise of romance to gain the trust of Charles Bauer, an 89-year-old Korean War veteran and widower, then looted much of his life’s savings in a matter of months, prosecutors said. — Cory Shaffer, cleveland.com, "Strongsville woman found guilty of looting ailing Korean War vet’s bank account through phony marriage promise," 3 Sep. 2019 The new excavation—which has also put a stop to looting—has opened a window on early post-Hellenistic culture. — Chiara Goia, Smithsonian, "The New Treasures of Pompeii," 21 Aug. 2019 Historically called Edo, the city was the center of a great kingdom for centuries until 1897, when British troops massacred hundreds, looted priceless artworks, and banished the oba, or king, whom citizens worshipped as a demigod. — Sean Williams, Harper's magazine, "The Black Axe," 19 Aug. 2019 Just before Biden entered politics, the National Guard had kept the largely black city of Wilmington on lockdown for nine months in response to looting and racial violence that followed Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. — Evan Halper, latimes.com, "On race, Joe Biden’s choices in Delaware years ago haunt his White House bid today," 11 July 2019 The militants were guaranteed a safe route out and allowed to keep weapons and cash looted from the city — up to $100 million by some estimates — according to five sources, including military, security and government officials. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "'Unite with the devil': Yemen war binds US, allies, al-Qaida," 7 Aug. 2018 Militias backed by Rwanda and Uganda energetically loot Congo’s minerals. — The Economist, "How do you reform a country where gunmen torch Ebola clinics?," 2 Aug. 2019 Among the 50 misdemeanors Villanueva removed from the list were looting and forging a driver’s license. — Maya Lau, latimes.com, "ICE still playing role in L.A. jails despite Sheriff Villanueva kicking agents out," 25 June 2019 Riots erupted; stores were looted, windows smashed with bricks. — New York Times, "How Joe Biden Became the Democrats’ Anti-Busing Crusader," 15 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'loot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for loot
loot
noun
English Language Learners Definition of loot
(Entry 1 of 2)
: something that is stolen or taken by force