pillaged of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pillaged of" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "pillaged" already implies being robbed or looted, so the preposition "of" is unnecessary. Example: "The village was pillaged during the invasion, leaving nothing behind."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We have been pillaged of almost everything, by the Arabs".

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

It should be, because in spite of the wholesale destruction of native peoples, the raping and pillaging of non-European settled land, a great nation was built.

Huffington Post

During the war, Germany pillaged millions of artworks, books and other cultural valuables from the nations it conquered.

The New York Times - Arts

They are accused of pillaging some of the assets, including the Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue, that the prince had hired them to oversee.

The New York Times

Mr. Garson pillaged the estate of his aunt and Mr. Mason dipped into an escrow account.

The New York Times

Imagine being robbed and pillaged, and stripped of so much you hold dear.

Huffington Post

Meanwhile, a top Gbagbo ally accused pro-Ouattara forces of pillaging the homes of political rivals.

Independent

He said: "The British armed the militia, rewarded them, incentivised them, allowing them to pillage property of the nationalists.

BBC

Sexual violence, pillaging, burning of homes and killing defines the daily lives for many in eastern DRC.

Unicef

So is the pillage of historical monuments.

The Economist

It was a city-certified pillage of one of the nation's great landmarks.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "pillaged of". Use "pillaged" alone to describe the act of looting, or rephrase using alternatives like "robbed of" or "stripped of" for clarity.

Common error

The word "pillaged" already implies the removal of goods, so adding "of" creates a redundant expression. Opt for "The city was pillaged" instead of "The city was pillaged of its treasures".

Linguistic Context

Pillaged of functions as a verb phrase followed by a preposition. However, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the usage is not standard English as "pillaged" already contains the meaning of being robbed, making "of" redundant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase “pillaged of” appears in some published sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect because the verb "pillage" already implies the act of looting or robbing. As Ludwig AI states, the preposition “of” is unnecessary and creates redundancy. It is recommended to use “pillaged” alone or use alternative phrases such as “robbed of” or “stripped of” for better clarity and grammatical correctness. Despite appearing in news and media contexts, its incorrectness makes it a less desirable choice in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

robbed of everything

Stresses the completeness of the theft.

looted of valuables

Emphasizes the theft of valuable items.

plundered of resources

Specifically refers to the theft of resources.

stripped of possessions

Focuses on the removal of possessions, emphasizing loss.

deprived of belongings

Highlights the act of depriving someone of their belongings.

despoiled of assets

Indicates the forceful removal of assets.

ransacked and emptied

Highlights the thoroughness of the looting.

relieved of property

Focuses on the removal of property from someone.

cleared out

Informal way of saying that a place has been emptied of its contents by looting.

left destitute

Emphasizes the resulting state of poverty after being robbed.

FAQs

Is "pillaged of" grammatically correct?

No, "pillaged of" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. The verb "pillage" already encompasses the idea of looting or robbing, making the addition of "of" redundant. It's better to say something was simply "pillaged".

What does "pillaged" mean?

Pillaged means to rob a place using violence, especially during a war or period of unrest. It implies a thorough and often destructive looting. For example, the Vikings pillaged coastal villages.

What can I say instead of "pillaged of"?

Alternatives to "pillaged of" include using "robbed of" or "stripped of". Or you can just use "pillaged" without "of".

How can I use "pillaged" in a sentence correctly?

You can use "pillaged" correctly by saying, "The town was pillaged by the invaders," or "The museum was pillaged during the riot". Avoid using "of" after "pillaged".