looting
Pillaging during upheaval
Looting is stealing goods during a disaster, riot, or other breakdown of order—taking advantage of chaos when normal protections fail.
Stores get looted during blackouts, homes during evacuations.
The term extends to any plundering: corporate looting of pension funds, looting of archaeological sites.
To loot is to engage in such theft; a looter is someone who does.
Searching while wrecking
- sackingDismissal from employment
- raidingSudden attack for plunder
- maraudingRoving to plunder
- despoilingForcibly stripping of possessions
spoils · pillage · depredation · spoliation · reaving · foraging · brigandage · freebooting
State of public disturbance
- civil disorderViolent public disturbance
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
- lawlessnessAbsence of governing rules
- anarchyDisorder from absent authority
chaos · turmoil · mob violence · vandalism · arson · destruction · upheaval · insurrection
Unlawful taking of property
- robberyTheft through intimidation
- burglaryIllegal entry to commit crime
- pilferingMinor, sneaky theft
- larcenyUnlawful taking of goods
shoplifting · smash-and-grab · heist · break-in · pilferage · embezzlement · pickpocketing · grand theft
Historical objects from ages past
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- provenanceRecord of ownership
- excavationAct of unearthing
- tomb raidingStealing from burial sites
trafficking · repatriation · smuggling · black market · illicit trade · Egyptology
Severe widespread destruction
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
- razingComplete structural demolition
demolition · burning · firebombing · obliteration · desolation · gutted · aftermath · scorched earth
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
- black-marketIllicit trading network
- scalpingResale at inflated prices
vulture capitalism · war profiteering · racketeering · smuggling · sharp practice · windfall · speculation · scavenging
ransacking
Searching while wrecking
despoiling · spoils · pillage · depredation · spoliation · reaving · foraging · brigandage · freebooting · buccaneering
unrest
State of public disturbance
- civil disorderViolent public disturbance
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
- lawlessnessAbsence of governing rules
anarchy · chaos · turmoil · mob violence · vandalism · arson · destruction · upheaval · insurrection · pandemonium
stealing
Unlawful taking of property
larceny · shoplifting · smash-and-grab · heist · break-in · pilferage · embezzlement · pickpocketing · grand theft · petty theft
antiquities
Historical objects from ages past
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- provenanceRecord of ownership
- excavationAct of unearthing
tomb raiding · trafficking · repatriation · smuggling · black market · illicit trade · Egyptology
devastation
Severe widespread destruction
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
razing · demolition · burning · firebombing · obliteration · desolation · gutted · aftermath · scorched earth · war damage
profiteering
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
- black-marketIllicit trading network
scalping · vulture capitalism · war profiteering · racketeering · smuggling · sharp practice · windfall · speculation · scavenging
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
- conquestwar of conquest, capture, invasion, domination, subjugation
- misconductmisconduct, bullying, stealing, vandalism, cheating
- civil unrestriot, riots, rioting, mob, uprising
- embezzlementpeculation, defalcation, misuse of funds, misappropriation, siphoning
- financial fraudsecurities fraud, bank fraud, accounting fraud, defalcation, embezzler
lootingsafeguarding
Preventing harm or loss
protecting · guarding · securing · defending · preservation
lootingdonating
Giving freely, expecting nothing
giving · charitable giving · relief work · humanitarian aid · philanthropy