ransack

/ˈɹænsæk/

//ˈɹænsæk// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ransack" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ransack” is an uncommon English word, ranked #87,733 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#87,733
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray.

Key facts for ransack
PropertyValue
Headwordransack
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɹænsæk/
Letters7
Frequency rank#87,733
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ransack” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). ransack lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for ransack is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹænsæk/. Corpus data places it at rank #87,733 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for ransack, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: The verb is derived from Middle English ransaken (“to examine, investigate; to rob, plunder, steal; to search, seek; to treat roughly, mistreat”), from Old Norse rannsaka (“to search a house (especially for stolen goods)”), from rann (“house”) (from Proto-G… The correct English form is ransack, spelled R-A-N-S-A-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray.
  2. 2
    To search (someone or a place) thoroughly in order to steal something, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray; hence, to rob (someone or a place); to plunder.
  3. 3
    To search for and steal (something) as plunder.
  4. 4
    To examine (someone or something) carefully; to investigate; also, to question (someone) thoroughly; to interrogate.
  5. 5
    To look for or seek out (someone).
  6. 6
    To search (someone) for a thing.
  7. 7
    Synonym of penetrate (“to make way into the interior of (something); to pierce”); also, synonym of pervade (“to enter and spread through (something); to permeate”).
  8. 8
    To search thoroughly, especially when leaving behind a state of disarray.
  9. 9
    To search for and steal things.

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English ransaken (“to examine, investigate; to rob, plunder, steal; to search, seek; to treat roughly, mistreat”), from Old Norse rannsaka (“to search a house (especially for stolen goods)”), from rann (“house”) (from Proto-Germanic *razną (“dwelling, house”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁- (“to rest; quiet”)) + saka, an ablaut variant of sœkja, sǿkja (“to look for, search, seek”) (from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to look for, seek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- (“to follow; to seek out, trace”)). Verb verb sense 1.2 (“to search (someone, or a place) thoroughly in order to steal something”), verb sense 1.3 (“to search for and steal (something) as plunder”), and verb sense 2.2 (“to search for and steal things”) is probably influenced by sack (“to pillage, to plunder”). The noun is derived from the verb. cognates * Middle Low German rānsāken, rantsāken * Old Danish randsage, ransage (modern Danish ransage) * Old Swedish ransaka (modern Swedish rannsaka)

Synonyms

ramshackransackleranshackle

This word in other languages

escudriñar(Español)fouiller(Français)durchwühlen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ransack"?
"ransack" is spelled R-A-N-S-A-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹænsæk/.
What does "ransack" mean?
As a verb, "ransack" means: To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray.
How do you pronounce "ransack"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ransack" is /ˈɹænsæk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ransack"?
The verb is derived from Middle English ransaken (“to examine, investigate; to rob, plunder, steal; to search, seek; to treat roughly, mistreat”), from Old Norse rannsaka (“to search a house (especially for stolen goods)”), from rann (“house”) (fr... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “ransack”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-A-N-S-A-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹænsæk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list