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
Both men are suspected of having been part of a team alleged to have robbed the Louvre last week.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
The movie tries to pick up the threads of previous films, but, in attempting to make Myers more mystical, this film robs him of his knife-edge menace.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
The raid shocked the nation and spurred questions about how one of the world’s most renowned museums could be robbed in broad daylight.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
These are the grifting savages who’ve shown their gratitude to hard-working Americans who rescued them from their primitive native lands by robbing us blind while calling us racists and demanding even more handouts.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 24 Oct. 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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David Brennan, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
The movie tries to pick up the threads of previous films, but, in attempting to make Myers more mystical, this film robs him of his knife-edge menace.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
The raid shocked the nation and spurred questions about how one of the world’s most renowned museums could be robbed in broad daylight.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
These are the grifting savages who’ve shown their gratitude to hard-working Americans who rescued them from their primitive native lands by robbing us blind while calling us racists and demanding even more handouts.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 24 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 29 Oct. 2025.
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