despoil

verb
UK: /dɪˈspɔɪl/
US: /dɪˈspɔɪl/

  1. To damage or ruin something, especially something valuable or beautiful.

    1. Pollution can despoil the beauty of the landscape.
    2. Greed and disregard for nature's beauty often despoil the environment for profit.

  2. To steal possessions forcefully; to plunder or rob.

    1. The invaders despoil the village of its valuables.
    2. After the battle, soldiers began to despoil the dead and wounded on the battlefield.

Synonyms

plunder ruin devastate rob pillage loot ravage
despoil adjective

  1. Having been robbed or plundered; left ruined or damaged.

    1. The despoiled city was a sad sight.
    2. After the fire, the despoiled landscape was a reminder of the disaster's impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "despoil" in English means: To damage or ruin something, especially something valuable or beautiful., To steal possessions forcefully; to plunder or rob..

The phonetic transcription of "despoil" is /dɪˈspɔɪl/ in British English and /dɪˈspɔɪl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "despoil": plunder, ruin, devastate, rob, pillage, loot, ravage.

Example usage of "despoil": "Pollution can despoil the beauty of the landscape.". More examples on the page.