plunder
gb/plˈʌndɚ/ us/plˈʌndɚ/
C1
English
~ 26400
kifoszt, fosztogat, zsákmány, harácsolt vagyon, jogtalanul szerzett vagyon
VERB
C1
1
Usage pattern:
to plunder [a place] / plunder [someone/something]
The invading soldiers plundered the town and set many houses on fire.
A megszálló katonák kifosztották a várost, és sok házat felgyújtottak.
Pirates would plunder coastal villages, taking gold, food, and prisoners.
A kalózok kifosztották a part menti falvakat, aranyat, élelmet és foglyokat vittek el.
During the chaos, gangs plundered shops and warehouses across the city.
The army was accused of plundering museums and historic churches.
They plundered the countryside for food as they marched north.
Learner examples
The enemy army plundered the small village.
Az ellenséges hadsereg kifosztotta a kis falut.
Pirates plundered the ship and took all the gold.
A kalózok kifosztották a hajót, és elvitték az összes aranyat.
During the war, soldiers plundered many homes.
Robbers broke in and plundered the store at night.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "plunder" for any kind of small or secret stealing. "Plunder" is usually used for large-scale, violent stealing during war, invasion, or serious disorder, not for a quiet theft of one item.
Meaning
steal goods by force or in war
Collocations
plunder villages
|plunder a city
|plunder and burn
|invade and plunder
|plunder the countryside
|armies plundered
Synonyms
loot (very close in meaning; slightly more common in everyday English for stealing during riots or war.)
Antonyms
protect (to keep people or property safe instead of stealing or harming them.)
Themes
crime
|war
|history
|law
|politics
Definition
to steal things by force from a place, especially during war or when there is no order
To steal property from a place or people using force, especially during war, invasion, or general chaos, often causing heavy damage.
NOUN
C1
2
zsákmány
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s plunder / a pile of plunder
The soldiers loaded their plunder onto wagons before leaving the city.
A katonák szekerekre rakták a zsákmányt, mielőtt elhagyták a várost.
Police discovered rooms full of wartime plunder hidden in the cellar.
A rendőrség a pincében háborús zsákmánnyal teli szobákra bukkant.
The pirates argued over how to divide the plunder from the captured ship.
Much of the museum's collection was later revealed to be Nazi plunder.
They carried off gold and silver as plunder after the battle.
Learner examples
The pirates showed their plunder to the captain.
A kalózok megmutatták a zsákmányukat a kapitánynak.
The thieves hid the plunder in an old house.
A tolvajok egy régi házban rejtették el a zsákmányt.
Soldiers filled the cart with plunder from the town.
The king ordered the army to return all the plunder.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "plunder" to mean any kind of prize or reward. It specifically means property taken illegally and often violently, not a fair reward or payment.
Meaning
goods stolen by force
Collocations
share the plunder
|divide the plunder
|return the plunder
|war plunder
|stolen plunder
|bags of plunder
Synonyms
loot (very close in meaning; slightly more common and slightly less formal than "plunder".)
Antonyms
property (refers to things legally owned, in contrast to goods taken illegally as plunder.)
Themes
crime
|war
|history
|law
|politics
Definition
things like money or goods that are stolen by force, especially in war
Property, money, or valuable goods that have been taken by force, especially during war, invasion, or general lawlessness.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
to plunder [resources/wealth/funds] / plunder [a country/company]
Critics say the government is plundering public funds to pay for private projects.
A bírálók szerint a kormány a közpénzeket fosztogatja, hogy magánprojekteket finanszírozzon.
For decades, companies have plundered the rainforest for timber and minerals.
A vállalatok évtizedek óta fosztogatják az esőerdőt faanyagért és ásványkincsekért.
The dictator and his family plundered the nation's wealth before fleeing into exile.
Unscrupulous investors plundered the pension fund and left thousands with nothing.
They accused foreign corporations of plundering local resources without fair payment.
Learner examples
Big companies plunder the forest for wood.
A nagyvállalatok fosztogatják az erdőt a faanyagért.
The leader plundered the country's money.
A vezető kifosztotta az ország közvagyonát.
They plundered the land and left nothing for the people.
Corrupt officials plunder public funds for themselves.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this sense is only about war. In modern news and politics, "plunder" is often used for economic or environmental damage done for profit, even in peacetime.
Meaning
exploit resources or wealth unfairly
Collocations
plunder natural resources
|plunder the environment
|plunder public funds
|plunder a nation's wealth
|plunder the company
|corporations plunder
Synonyms
exploit (focuses more on unfair use than on the idea of stealing; can sound slightly more technical or neutral depending on context.)
Antonyms
preserve (to protect and keep resources safe, the opposite of taking them in a damaging way.)
Themes
environment
|business
|politics
|nature
Definition
to take money or natural things like oil or wood in a very unfair and damaging way, usually to get rich
To take or use money, natural resources, or other valuable things in a way that is very harmful or unfair, especially for selfish profit.
NOUN
C1
4
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s plunder / political plunder
The offshore accounts were filled with the dictator's plunder.
Az offshore számlák tele voltak a diktátor harácsolt vagyonával.
They lived in luxury on the plunder of corrupt business deals.
A korrupt üzletekből származó harácsolt vagyonból fényűzésben éltek.
Investigators worked to trace the plunder taken from public banks.
The report described the privatization program as pure plunder by a small elite.
He eventually returned much of his plunder in exchange for a shorter sentence.
Learner examples
The rich man hid his plunder in another country.
A gazdag ember egy másik országban rejtette el a harácsolt vagyonát.
They bought big houses with their plunder.
A harácsolt vagyonukból nagy házakat vettek.
The court tried to take back the plunder from the corrupt leaders.
She refused to share in their plunder.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with any kind of wealth. "Plunder" here always suggests that the wealth was gained in a wrong or harmful way, not just that it is a large amount of money.
Meaning
wealth taken unfairly or illegally
Collocations
political plunder
|economic plunder
|recover the plunder
|share in the plunder
|ill-gotten plunder
|guard their plunder
Synonyms
spoils (often used for benefits or profits gained, especially in politics or war; slightly more formal and broader in meaning.)
Antonyms
earnings (money gained in a fair and legal way through work, the opposite of taking value through plunder.)
Themes
business
|politics
|crime
|finance
|law
Definition
money or other valuable things that are taken in a very unfair or illegal way, often by powerful people
Money, assets, or other valuable things obtained in a very unfair, dishonest, or destructive way, often by abusing power or exploiting others.
Grammar
Dictionary form
plunder
IPA
GB/plˈʌndɚ/
US/plˈʌndɚ/
Syllables & stress
plun - der (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (plun)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: plunder
- Plural: plunder
Verb
- Base: plunder
- 3rd Person Singular: plunders
- Present Participle: plundering
- Past: plundered
Word family
Forms
plunders
verb
plundering
verb
plundered
verb
Core family
plunderer
noun
Related words
loot
verb
looter
noun
pillage
verb
Expressions
loot and plunder
1/lˈut ˈænd plˈʌndɚ/
fixed phrase
steal goods by force in chaos
to steal many things by force, especially during war, riots, or when there is no order
Examples
- During the civil war, armed groups roamed the countryside to loot and plunder.
- The film shows pirates who loot and plunder ships on the open sea.
plunder and pillage
1/plˈʌndɚ ˈænd pˈɪlɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
literary
steal and destroy in war
to steal many things and destroy towns or homes during war or invasion
Examples
- The raiders crossed the sea to plunder and pillage foreign coasts.
- For centuries, armies would plunder and pillage every city they conquered.
rape and plunder
1/ɹˈeɪp ˈænd plˈʌndɚ/
fixed phrase
vulgar
commit sexual violence and steal in war
to attack people sexually and steal things by force during war or invasion
Examples
- The army was accused of rape and plunder as it moved through the region.
- Historians describe the invasion as a time of rape and plunder.