German word

plündern

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈplʏndɐn/

Meaning

  • verbloot

Example

Die Soldaten plündern das Dorf.

The soldiers are looting the village.

Illustration for plündern (loot)

More examples

Bei den Ausschreitungen versuchen einige, die Supermärkte zu plündern.

During the riots, some people try to loot the supermarkets.

Core concept

Armed people strip homes, shops, or a whole town of goods and carry the spoils away.

Common phrases

  • Supermärkte plündern

    loot supermarkets

  • Läden plündern

    loot shops

Similar words

ausrauben: Rob people or shops of money and valuables using weapons or threats.
stehlen: Take property from a person or shop without permission, usually secretly.
ausplündern: Strip a country or city of its assets through war, corruption, or exploitation.
rauben: Seize someone else's possessions directly through force or intimidation.

Definition in German

mit Gewalt Besitz anderer an sich bringen, meist als Beute aus Häusern, Läden oder ganzen Orten

Word origin

German plündern comes from Middle Low German plunderen and is related to Plunder, a word for miscellaneous goods or loot.

Usage tips

  • Plündern describes looting on a larger or more violent scale than ordinary stealing, so stehlen is usually better for a simple theft.

Other meanings

  • robverb
  • ransackverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Plünderunglootingnoun
  • Plündererlooternoun
  • plünderischplunderingadjective

Word lists with this word