From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdespoilde‧spoil /dɪˈspɔɪl/ verb [transitive] literary 1 DAMAGEto make a place much less attractive by removing or damaging things → spoil2 STEALto steal from a place or people using force, especially in a war→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
despoil• On the contrary, they saw themselves as purifying a church that had become diluted, dehydrated, and despoiled.• It made little difference if a dreadful rash despoiled both little faces.• The sandy beaches are being despoiled by an oil spill.• Regulated, socialised economies trample on human dignity, despoil the natural environment and depress economic performance.Origin despoil (1200-1300) Old French despoillier, from Latin spoliare “to rob”