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
Likewise, even when ticketholders feel robbed by cheating or bad calls, that doesn’t mean the game ticket didn’t live up to its end of the bargain.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Based on a true story, Roofman follows the adventures of an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname Roofman.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2025
Their online childhoods also robbed them of life skills best learned by leaving the house.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025
Demko absolutely robbed Draisaitl off to the side of the net in the third.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Based on a true story, Roofman follows the adventures of an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname Roofman.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2025
Their online childhoods also robbed them of life skills best learned by leaving the house.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025
Demko absolutely robbed Draisaitl off to the side of the net in the third.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 12 Oct. 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 Oct. 2025.
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