1
: an act or instance of stealing : theft
also
: a financial exploitation
The so-called deal turned out to be a rip-off.
2
: a usually cheap exploitive imitation
a rip-off of a designer bag
ripped off; ripping off; rips off
1
2
: to copy or imitate blatantly or unscrupulously
The film ripped off a better one made years ago.
3
: to perform, achieve, or score quickly or easily
ripped off 10 straight points
Examples of rip-off in a Sentence
Noun
a daring burglary of the art museum that resulted in one of the greatest rip-offs in history
Verb
the teens ripped off the store where they had been working for the summer
the thief ripped off some jewelry as soon as no one was looking
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Frequently asked questions Is the First American home warranty a rip-off?
—Jamela Adam, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Michael Rios, CNN Money, 10 June 2026
In Antioch, there were reports of siding ripped off of buildings and small tree limbs downed by the winds.
—Laura Bannon, CBS News, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rip-off
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Noun
After the online store’s supply ran out, sellers took to eBay and Etsy with options ranging from official replicas to blatant rip-offs.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Frequently asked questions Is the First American home warranty a rip-off?
—Jamela Adam, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Verb
One of the biggest concerns is that scammers will try to rip off fans with the sale of counterfeit items and services, including tickets to the 13 matches Mexico will host.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 10 June 2026
In Antioch, there were reports of siding ripped off of buildings and small tree limbs downed by the winds.
—Laura Bannon, CBS News, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rip-off
Cite this Entry
“Rip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rip-off. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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