Meaning & use

pillage

verb·Advanced

To steal goods forcibly from a place, especially during war or violent conflict.

See it in a sentence

Soldiers pillaged the town, carrying off livestock and anything else of value.

Historians describe how invading armies pillaged coastal villages throughout the period.

A note on using this word

Pillage almost always implies wartime or violent looting, distinguishing it from ordinary theft.

Words with a similar meaning

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