Despoil
verb
To take away valuable things from a place by force or in a destructive way.
The invading army despoiled the town, leaving it in ruins.
Often appears as...
- despoil the land
- despoil a town
verb
To ruin or decrease the worth or value of something.
The construction project could despoil the natural beauty of the area.
Often appears as...
- despoil beauty
- despoil value
verb
To take away valuable things from a place by force or in a destructive way.
The invading army despoiled the town, leaving it in ruins.
Often appears as...
- despoil the land
- despoil a town
verb
To ruin or decrease the worth or value of something.
The construction project could despoil the natural beauty of the area.
Often appears as...
- despoil beauty
- despoil value
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Forceful Robbery
Use 'despoil' to describe someone forcefully stealing during conflicts or wars.
Rebels despoiled the museum of its ancient artifacts.
Pro Tip 2/3Destruction Implied
'Despoil' often implies that damage is done, not just theft.
The forest was despoiled for its precious timber.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Emotion
Using 'despoil' carries a strong negative emotional charge against the action.
Activists protested the company's plans to despoil the coastline.
Pro Tip 1/3Forceful Robbery
Use 'despoil' to describe someone forcefully stealing during conflicts or wars.
Rebels despoiled the museum of its ancient artifacts.
Pro Tip 2/3Destruction Implied
'Despoil' often implies that damage is done, not just theft.
The forest was despoiled for its precious timber.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Emotion
Using 'despoil' carries a strong negative emotional charge against the action.
Activists protested the company's plans to despoil the coastline.
Pro Tip 1/3Forceful Robbery
Use 'despoil' to describe someone forcefully stealing during conflicts or wars.
Rebels despoiled the museum of its ancient artifacts.
Pro Tip 2/3Destruction Implied
'Despoil' often implies that damage is done, not just theft.
The forest was despoiled for its precious timber.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Emotion
Using 'despoil' carries a strong negative emotional charge against the action.
Activists protested the company's plans to despoil the coastline.
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Video examples
Steven Pinker and...
And wasn't it reason that gave us the means to despoil the planet and threaten our species with weapons of mass destruction? In this way of thinking, it's character and conscience, not cold-hearted calculation, that will save us. Besides, a human being is not a brain on a stick. My fellow psychologists have shown that we're led
Video examples
Steven Pinker and...
And wasn't it reason that gave us the means to despoil the planet and threaten our species with weapons of mass destruction? In this way of thinking, it's character and conscience, not cold-hearted calculation, that will save us. Besides, a human being is not a brain on a stick. My fellow psychologists have shown that we're led
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Paul Hawken
American Environmentalist
For the developed world, there is a choice to be made: to promote economic policies that despoil indigenous lands or to support cultures and the remaining biological sanctuaries.
Quote examples
Elihu Root
American Lawyer
No nation now sets forth to despoil another upon the avowed ground that it desires the spoils.
Quote examples
Paul Hawken
American Environmentalist
For the developed world, there is a choice to be made: to promote economic policies that despoil indigenous lands or to support cultures and the remaining biological sanctuaries.
Quote examples
Elihu Root
American Lawyer
No nation now sets forth to despoil another upon the avowed ground that it desires the spoils.
Example 1 of 2
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