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)
(2)
: to take the contents of (a receptacle)
c
: to take away as loot : steal
rob jewelry
2
a
: to deprive of something due, expected, or desired
b
: to withhold unjustly or injuriously
: to commit robbery
robber
noun
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
Two more banks in the Central District were allegedly robbed similarly that same day.
—Doc Louallen, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
Two other banks also in downtown San Francisco were robbed the same day in the same fashion, police said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2025
It must also be said that, for all the lamenting of the Netherlands’ failure to win, West Germany — and Muller — were robbed of a clear goal in the second half due to an erroneous offside flag.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
An insecure performer robs an audience of its belief in both the character and the entire enterprise.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Doc Louallen, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
Two other banks also in downtown San Francisco were robbed the same day in the same fashion, police said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2025
It must also be said that, for all the lamenting of the Netherlands’ failure to win, West Germany — and Muller — were robbed of a clear goal in the second half due to an erroneous offside flag.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
An insecure performer robs an audience of its belief in both the character and the entire enterprise.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
Cite this Entry
“Rob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rob. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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