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Plunder vs Usurp - What's the difference?

plunder | usurp |

As verbs the difference between plunder and usurp

is that plunder is while usurp is to seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.

plunder

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
  • ''The mercenaries plundered the small town.
    The shopkeeper was plundered of his possessions by the burglar.
  • To take (goods) by pillage.
  • The mercenaries plundered all the goods they found.
  • To take by force or wrongfully; to commit robbery or looting, to raid.
  • ''"Now to plunder , mateys!" screamed a buccaneer, to cries of "Arrgh!" and "Aye!" all around.
  • To make extensive (over)use of, as if by plundering; to use or use up wrongfully.
  • ''The miners plundered the jungle for its diamonds till it became a muddy waste.
  • * 2014 , , " Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian , 18 October 2014:
  • The Serb teed up Steve Davis, who crossed low for Graziano Pellè to plunder his fifth league goal of the campaign.

    Derived terms

    * plunderable * plunderage * plunderer * plunderous

    Noun

    (-)
  • An instance of plundering
  • The loot attained by plundering
  • ''The Hessian kept his choicest plunder in a sack that never left his person, for fear that his comrades would steal it.
  • (slang, dated) baggage; luggage
  • usurp

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.
  • To use and assume the coat of arms of another person.
  • (obsolete) To make use of.
  • * 1662 , , Appendix, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 149:
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