1
as in to rob
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
the teens ripped off the store where they had been working for the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
the thief ripped off some jewelry as soon as no one was looking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
an investigation revealed that a whole slew of suppliers had been ripping off the defense department
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rip-off
Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 23 Sep. 2025
Over the past 20 years of Black List darlings and Edgar Wright rip-offs, the American film industry has established a new archetype of cinema filled with quippy antiheroes, gory allegories for domestic strife, and character actors rattling off reference humor.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Cherry Pistachio Pecan Granola Someone smart at TJ’s ripped off the famous Eleven Madison Park granola, but skimped on the pricey pecans and pistachios.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rip-off
Noun
The clues led reporters to the Ozarks, where a tangle of local disputes on Facebook and Google review sites and in local courts ultimately tied the Graceland plot to Findley, a grandmother with a decadeslong history of romance rip-offs, forged checks and bank fraud.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 23 Sep. 2025
Over the past 20 years of Black List darlings and Edgar Wright rip-offs, the American film industry has established a new archetype of cinema filled with quippy antiheroes, gory allegories for domestic strife, and character actors rattling off reference humor.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Video shared on social media showed a roof being ripped off a home in Black River.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Cherry Pistachio Pecan Granola Someone smart at TJ’s ripped off the famous Eleven Madison Park granola, but skimped on the pricey pecans and pistachios.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rip-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rip-off
Noun
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The 37-year-old man has a record of theft, Beccuau alleged.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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Leave the designer pieces safely at home and go for a sleek tote that looks every bit as stylish as what everyone in Milan and Paris is sporting—and carries less risk of theft or pickpocketing.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But these criminals weren't robbing the Louvre museum in Paris.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
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The rigidity that had robbed her of movement began to ease off.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Helm topples trees, uproots crops, overturns feed stacks, steals loose blankets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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French officials and the Louvre Museum have come under international fire in the days and weeks after the heist for security insufficiencies that allowed thieves to steal priceless artifacts in broad daylight.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Blashill wants the Blackhawks to be a fast-pressure team at both ends of the rink, one that attacks vertically but never cheats for offense.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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When athletes are caught cheating, a number of familiar examples are often brought up.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Wilson was arrested in February for allegedly swiping a subway rider through a turnstile and received cash in exchange.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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How one person feels about spending cash versus swiping their card is really about exposure, Bryan-Podvin says.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The polls had him on top for months, and his decision to focus his mayoral campaign on cost-of-living issues proved to be the right one in a city where residents are increasingly squeezed between growing rents and ever costlier public services.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Aid is declining and rising debt is squeezing public budgets.—
Obiageli Ezekwesili,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pieces from Stock are often plucked by stylists for celebrity editorials for Vanity Fair, Esquire and GQ.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
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This faux Dunhill Fir is designed to look and feel like a tree plucked straight off the lot, without the single-season lifespan or mess of shedding needles.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Outerlands stars Dillon as thirtysomething Cass, who hustles jobs as a server, nanny and party drug dealer to make rent on their tiny San Francisco apartment.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
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But Boberg, a freshman defender, hustled to the goal line to block the attempt.—
Mike Cook,
Twin Cities,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rip-off. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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