robbed; robbing
1
a(1)
: to take something away from by force : steal from
(2)
: to take personal property from by violence or threat
b(1)
: to remove valuables without right from (a place)
rob a safe
(2)
: to take the contents of (a receptacle)
rob a hive of honey
c
: to take away as loot : steal
rob jewelry
2
a
: to deprive of something due, expected, or desired
made a great shot but was robbed by the goalie
Illness robbed her of a normal childhood.
b
: to withhold unjustly or injuriously
was robbed of a promotion
: to commit robbery
robber
noun
see also rob Peter to pay Paul
Can rob mean 'to steal'?: Usage Guide
Transitive sense 1c, in which the direct object is the thing stolen, is sometimes considered to be wrong, or perhaps archaic. The sense has been in use since the 13th century and is found in earlier literature.
contrive to rob the honey and subvert the hive
—
John Dryden
John Dryden
It is still in use though not as common as other senses.
then robbed $100 after the clerk fled
—Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union
Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union
Examples of rob in a Sentence
Someone tried to rob me.
The cashier was robbed at gunpoint.
Recent Examples on the Web
The pandemic robbed the 2022 Games in Beijing of their luster.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
What’s more, in an effort to conserve cash, Saks made some key mistakes that undermined the brands’ power, robbing stores of the sense of fun and wonder that is key for a luxury retailer.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
Wiser heads, though, can see that the fraud also robbed funds from those who needed them the most and that rooting out fraud should not be a partisan issue.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Three men were arrested after a person was robbed of his $22,000 gold chain and shot in the stomach inside the Supreme streetwear store in the Miami Design District, according to police.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
What’s more, in an effort to conserve cash, Saks made some key mistakes that undermined the brands’ power, robbing stores of the sense of fun and wonder that is key for a luxury retailer.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
Wiser heads, though, can see that the fraud also robbed funds from those who needed them the most and that rooting out fraud should not be a partisan issue.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Three men were arrested after a person was robbed of his $22,000 gold chain and shot in the stomach inside the Supreme streetwear store in the Miami Design District, according to police.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rob
Cite this Entry
“Rob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rob. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
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