rip-off

1 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of stealing : theft
also : a financial exploitation
2
: a usually cheap exploitive imitation

rip off

2 of 2

verb

ripped off; ripping off; rips off

transitive verb

1
a
: rob
also : cheat, defraud
b
: steal
2
: to copy or imitate blatantly or unscrupulously
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
More people walk away from bad deals, money sucks, and rip-offs. Stav Ziv, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025 And some already are, which is why your hotel stay may feel like a real rip-off this summer. Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Verb
That honor belonged to Riley, who ripped off a 77-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and finished with 123 yards on six carries. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2025 What is really remarkable is how real-life events, such as the Mangione incident, collided with the making of this movie (shot in only 19 days), and the disgruntlement of common people who feel they are being ripped off by billionaires and corporations. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rip-off

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1969, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1967, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rip-off was in 1967

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Rip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rip-off. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

rip-off

1 of 2 noun
ˈrip-ˌȯf
: an act or an instance of ripping off

rip off

2 of 2 verb
ˈrip-ˈȯf
1
: rob sense 1a
also : to cheat someone : defraud
2

More from Merriam-Webster on rip-off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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