rob

verb

ˈräb 

robbed; robbing

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: 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

It is still in use though not as common as other senses.

then robbed $100 after the clerk fled

—Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union

Synonyms

• burglarize
• burgle
• knock off
• knock over
• rip off
• steal (from)
• take off [slang]

Examples of rob in a Sentence

Someone tried to rob me.

The cashier was robbed at gunpoint.

Recent Examples on the Web

But misleading campaign finance reports rob the public of vital information about a candidate’s connections and can result in a perjury charge. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024

An unknown man robbed a mail carrier on Valentine's Day in Philadelphia, NBC News reported In many cases, the carriers were not harmed, but the postal carrier in Union City suffered minor injuries that were treated at a local hospital. —Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2024

Brown was able to track down nearly all the tellers who’d been robbed. —Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2024

In March, the suspect allegedly approached three victims in Clark Park who had just completed a workout and robbed them at gunpoint, court records obtained by KHOU-11 state. —Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 8 Apr. 2024

Some people said they were robbed multiple times, by men speaking an Indigenous language and, separately, by men speaking Spanish with a Colombian accent. —Julie Turkewitz Federico Rios, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Prosecutors believe that Ervin used his girlfriend to lure Sayers to the home and rob him. —Jade Thomas, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024

After another decade of delinquency—burglary, bank fraud, robbing cars—he’d joined a Catholic commune. —Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

Cesari, who made posts on Instagram trying to recruit others to join the ring, also allegedly robbed a railroad car full of beer at gunpoint in Queens, New York, last April, prosecutors claim. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English robben, from Anglo-French rober, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German roubōn to rob — more at reave

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing rob

• rob Peter to pay Paul
• rob someone blind
• rob the cradle

Kids Definition

rob

verb

ˈräb 

robbed; robbing

1

a

: to take something away from a person or place in secrecy or by force, threat, or trickery

b

: to take away as loot : steal

2

: to keep from getting something due, expected, or desired

robber noun