Meaning & use

depredation

noun·Advanced

An act of attacking, raiding, or destroying something, especially plundering or causing damage over time.

See it in a sentence

The ancient city never recovered from the depredations of invading armies.

Years of depredation by poachers have left the elephant population dangerously low.

A note on using this word

Depredation is usually used in the plural, "depredations," when describing repeated or ongoing destructive acts.

Words with a similar meaning

plunderravaging

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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