To depredate means to plunder, ravage, or destroy; it is often used to describe the act of taking or damaging something, especially in a way that results in great loss or devastation. This term frequently applies to acts of theft or destruction, particularly in a natural or environmental context.
Depredate meaning with examples
- The invading army began to depredate the coastal villages, leaving behind ruin and despair. Homes were set ablaze, crops were trampled, and the townspeople were forced to flee, left with nothing but memories of what was once their thriving community.
- After the hurricane passed through, scavengers started to depredate the abandoned homes for valuables. Disturbing the debris and wreckage, they extracted stealable items while the rightful owners mourned their losses, highlighting the greed that often rises in the aftermath of nature's fury.
- The environmentalists warned that if logging companies continued to depredate the ancient forests, entire ecosystems would collapse. The rare species that thrived there would disappear, leading to irreversible damage to both nature and local communities reliant on the forest's health for their livelihood.
- The website was designed to raise awareness about illegal fishing practices that depredate marine life. It educated the public about the consequences of overfishing and the urgent need to implement sustainable practices to protect our oceans and the diversity of species that inhabit them.