despoil
Ravage and loot
To despoil is to strip of possessions by force—to plunder or pillage.
The word carries a literary or archaic tone, appearing in accounts of armies despoiling conquered cities or invaders despoiling temples of their treasures.
It extends to environmental destruction: Logging companies despoiled the ancient forest.
The noun form is despoliation.
Violent theft of goods
- ravageCause severe destruction
- sackRough fabric bag
- ransackPlunder while destroying
- maraudRaid for spoils
raid · loot · reave · foray · depredation · rapine · brigandage · piracy
Complete destruction or collapse
- destroyCause complete ruin
- ravageCause severe destruction
- wreckDestroyed vessel or vehicle
- wasteUnwanted discarded material
demolish · desolate · blight · wreak havoc · lay waste · decimate · obliterate · annihilate
Narrow elongated piece
denude · expropriate · confiscate · seize · appropriate · commandeer · usurp · wrest
pillage
Violent theft of goods
maraud · raid · loot · reave · foray · depredation · rapine · brigandage · piracy · raiding
ruin
Complete destruction or collapse
waste · demolish · desolate · blight · wreak havoc · lay waste · decimate · obliterate · annihilate · raze
strip
Narrow elongated piece
bereave · denude · expropriate · confiscate · seize · appropriate · commandeer · usurp · wrest · pluck
profane
Irreverent toward the sacred
pollute · contaminate · sully · tarnish · debase · degrade · befoul · besmirch · taint · mar