What does "loot" mean?
Synonym of booty, goods seized from an enemy by violence, particularly (historical) during the sacking of a town in war or (video games) after successful combat.
Loot
/luːt/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Synonym of booty, goods seized from an enemy by violence, particularly (historical) during the sacking of a town in war or (video games) after successful combat.
- Grammar: loot is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: booty, plunder, a prize, abduct.
- Useful contrasts: base items, lawful goods, legitimate property.
- Usage evidence: The thief outwitted the police and got away with his loot.
How to use "loot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "loot" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "loot" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "loot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "loot" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "loot" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "booty" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "loot", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Synonym of booty, goods seized from an enemy by violence, particularly (historical) during the sacking of a town in war or (video games) after successful combat. uncountable
"Loot, plunder, pillage."
- 2 A scoop used to remove scum from brine pans in saltworks. Northern-England, Scotland, UK, dialectal
- 3 Clipping of lieutenant. US, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, dated, slang
"R-run over an' wake up th' loot at th' station."
- 4 goods or money obtained illegally wordnet
- 5 Synonym of sack, the plundering of a city, particularly during war. uncountable
"He consented to the loot of the city by the men under his command."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 informal terms for money wordnet
- 7 Any valuable thing received for free, especially Christmas presents. US, colloquial, uncountable
"Free Loot for Children"
- 8 Synonym of money. slang, uncountable
"I got my mink the hard way. I paid for it. It cost a lot of loot and it took a little while to do it, but it's all mine."
Verb
- 1 Synonym of plunder, to seize by violence particularly during the capture of a city during war or (video games) after successful combat. transitive
"We looted the temple and the orphanage, which turned most of the NPCs against us."
- 2 steal goods; take as spoils wordnet
- 3 Synonym of rob, to steal something from someone by violence or threat of violence. transitive
"He told me... that if I gave him less than to the master of the luggage-boat, he would... declare at Shēr-Gurry that I had ‘looted him!’"
- 4 take illegally; of intellectual property wordnet
Antonyms
base itemslawful goodslegitimate propertynon loot items
Example
"The thief outwitted the police and got away with his loot."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "loot"?
Common synonyms include: booty, plunder, a prize, abduct, acquire, assault.
How do you use "loot" in a sentence?
The thief outwitted the police and got away with his loot.
How do you pronounce "loot"?
Pronounced /luːt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Hindi लूट (lūṭ, “booty”), either from Sanskrit लोप्त्र (loptra, “booty, stolen property”) or लुण्ट् (luṇṭ, “to rob, plunder”). The figurative meaning developed in American English in the 1920s, resulting in a generalized meaning by the 1950s.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Middle Dutch loet or loete (“scoop, shovel, scraper”), from reconstructed Old Dutch *lōta, from Old Frankish *lōtija (“scoop”), from Proto-Germanic *hlōþþijō (“scoop”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂- (“to lay down, deposit, overlay”). Related to lade and ladle, and cognate with Dutch loet, Scots lute or luyt (“scoop”), West Frisian loete or lete, Middle Low German lōte (“rake”), and French louche (“ladle”).
Etymology 3
Clipping.