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Ransacked: meaning, definitions and examples

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ransacked

 

[ ˈræn.sækt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

past tense action

Ransacked refers to the act of searching through something hurriedly and messily, often resulting in disorder or destruction. This term is frequently used to describe the looting of a place, particularly in the context of a theft or burglary. When a location is ransacked, it implies that items have been taken or disturbed in a chaotic manner. The term conveys a sense of violent intrusion and can evoke images of chaos and disruption.

Synonyms

looted, pillaged, plundered, searched.

Examples of usage

  • The thieves ransacked the museum looking for valuable artifacts.
  • After the storm, the house was ransacked by the floodwaters.
  • They ransacked the office, leaving papers strewn everywhere.
  • The village was ransacked by invaders during the night.

Translations

Translations of the word "ransacked" in other languages:

🇵🇹 saqueado

🇮🇳 लूट लिया गया

🇩🇪 plündern

🇮🇩 dirampok

🇺🇦 пограбований

🇵🇱 zrabowany

🇯🇵 略奪された

🇫🇷 pillé

🇪🇸 saqueado

🇹🇷 yağmalandı

🇰🇷 약탈당한

🇸🇦 نهب

🇨🇿 vyloupený

🇸🇰 vyplienený

🇨🇳 被洗劫

🇸🇮 opustošen

🇮🇸 rænt

🇰🇿 тонау

🇬🇪 გლეჯილი

🇦🇿 qənimət

🇲🇽 saqueado

Etymology

The term 'ransack' originates from the Old Norse word 'rannsaka', where 'rann' means 'house' and 'saka' means 'to seek'. This compound reflects the action of searching a house thoroughly. The word evolved through Middle English and was seen in various forms before arriving at its current usage. Ransacking has historically been associated with invasions, burglaries, and wartime pillaging, where the act of going through a home or place of business in search of valuables would leave disorder and destruction. Its connotative associations with theft and chaos have solidified in usage, particularly in law enforcement and literature, depicting scenes of crime and unrest.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,684, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.