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
Will Luka finally realize that his poor conditioning was his beloved Dallas Mavericks’ main reason for foolishly giving him away, and, while the Mavericks were robbed in the deal, all this talk of weight issues was absolutely true?
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
Police allege that shortly after midnight on April 19, Jones and Upshaw approached a Richmond resident on the 500 block of 18th Street in Uptown Oakland, and attempted to rob him for a diamond necklace.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
Investigators believe Warner used deception to gain access to his room and rob him.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025
Alleged Years-Long Drugging and Theft Scheme Led to Killing of Super Bowl Reporter Adan Manzano
On April 1, ABC News reported that a law enforcement source alleged that the pair had schemed via text message for years to drug and rob victims in multiple jurisdictions.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
Police allege that shortly after midnight on April 19, Jones and Upshaw approached a Richmond resident on the 500 block of 18th Street in Uptown Oakland, and attempted to rob him for a diamond necklace.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
Investigators believe Warner used deception to gain access to his room and rob him.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025
Alleged Years-Long Drugging and Theft Scheme Led to Killing of Super Bowl Reporter Adan Manzano
On April 1, ABC News reported that a law enforcement source alleged that the pair had schemed via text message for years to drug and rob victims in multiple jurisdictions.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 6 May 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 22 May. 2025.
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