1
: goods usually of considerable value taken in war : spoils
The soldiers helped themselves to any loot that they could find.
2
: something held to resemble goods of value seized in war: such as
a
: something appropriated illegally often by force or violence
the thieves' loot
b
: illicit gains by public officials
c
: money
would not … spend all that loot on her—
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes3
: the action of looting
general loot of church land—Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc
looted; looting; loots
1
a
: to plunder or sack in war
b
: to rob especially on a large scale and usually by violence or corruption
2
: to seize and carry away by force especially in war
: to engage in robbing or plundering especially in war
looter
noun
Examples of loot in a Sentence
Noun
After raiding the town, the soldiers helped themselves to any loot that they could find.
The thieves got a lot of loot in the robbery.
He made a lot of loot selling cars.
Verb
The soldiers were looting every house that they came to.
Soldiers swept through the territory, looting, burning, and killing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Loria, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
The crew failed to notice a GPS-tracking device in the Owings Mills store loot.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Steve Earley, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2025
Their testimonies—detailing missing relatives, murdered family members, homes looted then burned—should shake us to our core.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loot
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Noun
The loot included a Twilight poster signed by stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner; signed Darth Vader and Stormtrooper helmets; and several signed Captain America shields.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
The crew failed to notice a GPS-tracking device in the Owings Mills store loot.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
Police say just before midnight that 10 people had been arrested citywide, including seven for breaking curfew and two for looting.
—Steve Earley, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2025
Their testimonies—detailing missing relatives, murdered family members, homes looted then burned—should shake us to our core.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loot
Cite this Entry
“Loot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loot. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
loot
1 of 2 noun
: something stolen or taken by force
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