rip-off

1 of 2

noun

ˈrip-ˌȯf 

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

rip off

2 of 2

verb

ripped off; ripping off; rips off

transitive verb

1

a

: rob

also : cheat, defraud

ripped off some unsuspecting tourists

b

: steal

sneakily ripping off store merchandise

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

Synonyms of rip-off

Noun

• theft

Verb

• rob
• steal (from)

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

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

High winds can shatter glass, rip off siding and tear off roofs. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 23 June 2026

George Lopez and Joe Rogan are among those to accuse Mencia of ripping off their material, with Rogan and Mencia even once getting into a public confrontation over the matter. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1966, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for rip-off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

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

: steal entry 1 sense 2a