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)
rob a safe
(2)
: to take the contents of (a receptacle)
rob a hive of honey
c
: to take away as loot : steal
rob jewelry
2
a
: to deprive of something due, expected, or desired
made a great shot but was robbed by the goalie
Illness robbed her of a normal childhood.
b
: to withhold unjustly or injuriously
was robbed of a promotion
: to commit robbery
robber
noun
see also:
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
After Freddie Freeman scorched a two-out triple to left-center, Karros robbed Hernandez of extra bases with a diving stop and a perfect throw to first for the out.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Shohei Ohtani led off the ninth with a double (his on-base streak now at 51 games) to start a two-run rally that died when Ryan Ward came up as the tying run and Rockies rightfielder Troy Johnston robbed him of a hit on a diving play to end the game.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
After he was robbed and shot, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s detective found video surveillance that showed he had been followed by two cars whose license plates could not be seen.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Investigators believe the shooting was carried out by a single subject who was attempting to rob the store before fleeing.
—Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
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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Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Shohei Ohtani led off the ninth with a double (his on-base streak now at 51 games) to start a two-run rally that died when Ryan Ward came up as the tying run and Rockies rightfielder Troy Johnston robbed him of a hit on a diving play to end the game.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
After he was robbed and shot, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s detective found video surveillance that showed he had been followed by two cars whose license plates could not be seen.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Investigators believe the shooting was carried out by a single subject who was attempting to rob the store before fleeing.
—Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rob
Cite this Entry
“Rob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rob. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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