Ransacked
/ˈræn.sækt/
verbB2past tense
Definition
To ransack means to look through a place in a rough and hurried way, usually to find something valuable. This often causes disorder, damage, or mess because the search is not careful. People often use it when talking about thieves or soldiers searching houses or rooms.
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See It in Action
To search a place violently or carelessly, causing disorder
- •The burglars ransacked the house looking for money.
- •After the party, the room looked ransacked with things everywhere.
- •The soldiers ransacked the village during the war.
To steal or take things while causing damage (less common but related)
- •The thieves ransacked the store and stole many items.
- •The office was ransacked, and several computers were missing.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ransacked" like "searched," but very messy and fast, not careful at all
- ✓Picture a room with drawers open, clothes on the floor, and things thrown everywhere after someone looked for something quickly
- ✓It's the feeling when you come home and see your things all over the place, and you feel upset or shocked
- ✓Sounds like "RAN-sacked" → imagine someone who RAN through a room, quickly taking and throwing things around
- ✓In stories, ransacking happens when pirates or robbers enter a house and look for treasure, leaving chaos behind
- ✓NOT like "cleaned" (organized and neat), ransacked is the opposite—disorder and mess
- ✓NOT like "searched" (can be calm and careful), ransacked is rough and careless
- ✓NOT like "stole" (taking things quietly), ransacked focuses on the messy searching and damage, not just theft
Try Other Words
- •Looted: took things by force, often during war or riots (Use when focus is on stealing during disorder)
- •Ransack: to search messily and cause disorder (Use in present tense or general statements)
- •Plundered: took goods by force, often with violence (Use when emphasizing violent stealing)
- •Ransacking: the act of searching messily (Use as noun or present participle)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "ran" (past of run) + "sack" (a bag or to rob a place)
- •Etymology: From old English and Middle English, meaning to rob or pillage a town or house
- •Historical development: Originally used for soldiers or pirates who would quickly take goods and cause damage when attacking
- •Modern usage: Used to describe any messy, rough search or robbery that leaves disorder behind
Reflect & Connect
•Have you ever seen a place that looked ransacked? How did it make you feel?
•Why do you think people ransack places instead of searching carefully?
Fill in the blanks
1.The thieves ransacked the house ___ looking for valuable items and left a big mess.
2.After the party, the room looked ransacked because people ___ things everywhere carelessly.
3.Unlike a careful search, ransacked means the place was ___ and damaged during the search.
4.The soldiers ransacked the village, which means they not only searched but also ___ things.
5.When a place is ransacked, you can usually find ___ objects and broken furniture.
6.People who ransack a place often do it quickly and without ___ for the owner's belongings.
7.If a room is ransacked, it is different from being ___ because it is messy and disorderly.