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
Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
But The Beauty is not a rip-off of The Substance.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 22 Jan. 2026
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Stevenson shed six tackles last week versus an elite Houston defense, ripping off a 20-yard run early before helping to salt the game away late with several carries of five-plus yards in the fourth quarter.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rip-off
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Noun
According to a transcript, under cross-examination by attorney Lee Rothman, Hennen admitted to drug dealing, gambling rip-offs, and hustling pool throughout the Northeast and Midwest.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
But The Beauty is not a rip-off of The Substance.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
And [many in this industry] still try to rip off the writers.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Stevenson shed six tackles last week versus an elite Houston defense, ripping off a 20-yard run early before helping to salt the game away late with several carries of five-plus yards in the fourth quarter.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 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 30 Jan. 2026.
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