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
Once parked, the men robbed them of $2,000 cash, his wallet and his girlfriend’s purse.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2026
The 31-year-old Bader, who signed a two-year deal this offseason, initially sustained the hamstring injury at the very end of spring training, robbing him of at-bats leading up to the season.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Lawrence Butler robbed Seager of a home run to right in the fifth before hitting his second homer in the eighth off Curvelo to prevent a shutout.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Such fraudulent reporting has robbed the state and local governments of millions of dollars in marijuana tax revenue, industry insiders say, though there’s no official estimate.
—Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rob
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Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2026
The 31-year-old Bader, who signed a two-year deal this offseason, initially sustained the hamstring injury at the very end of spring training, robbing him of at-bats leading up to the season.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Lawrence Butler robbed Seager of a home run to right in the fifth before hitting his second homer in the eighth off Curvelo to prevent a shutout.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Such fraudulent reporting has robbed the state and local governments of millions of dollars in marijuana tax revenue, industry insiders say, though there’s no official estimate.
—Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 14 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 17 Apr. 2026.
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