1
as in robs
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
the teens ripped off the store where they had been working for the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in steals
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 squeezes
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rips off
When the woman exits, her assailant throws her to the ground, rips off her clothes and overpowers her.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
The leader of these superheroes rips off his protective visor and unleashes a catastrophic optic blast.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
The leader of these superheroes rips off his protective visor and unleashes a catastrophic optic blast.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rips off
Verb
-
After seeing the financial circumstances of his community members, Sinise's character enters a bank — where Wilson is the guard — and robs it for cash.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Left fielder Mark Collins robs Galloway of a hit with a diving catch.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Flagg — the only player this season to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals — and Edgecombe showed their franchises that their futures are in good hands.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The previous movie focused on a rich playboy who steals art.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For the United States, the blockade squeezes Iran’s already weakened economy by denying it long-term cash flow.—
Michelle L. Price,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The waves, which were first used in Boston in 2011, help spread things out so that runners don’t have to walk after the start, when Main Street in Hopkinton squeezes to just 39 feet wide.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In season one, Coop swipes jewelry, expensive wine, designer handbags and more to pay his alimony, child support and to keep up appearances in a neighborhood where appearances are all that matter.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Sure, the sequence largely swipes away hints given prior that Bowser was an absent father, but in a film where most of the characters veer toward the blandly nice, watching a dad and his son bond over their same sociopathic tendencies was the only moment that tugged at the heartstrings.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Inspired by real stories, Eva Marcille portrays a wife who miraculously cheats death after her husband’s (Tyler Lepley) betrayal in Pushed Off a Plane and Survived airing on February 28.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Carrera now plucks the melody in single notes.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But if Rick later plucks something from behind that rock at the fire, are others going to start poking around looking for stuff?—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That’s the part that stings the most.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The team had the best record in the major leagues as recently as June 13 of last season before collapsing and missing the postseason — a collapse that still stings for fans.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In games like Tuesday, when that deep postseason run seems realistic, UCLA pops the ball around on offense and communicates and hustles to overcome its deficiencies on defense.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Compared to the behemoth Acela, which hustles hundreds of thousands of riders between Boston, New York City, and Washington DC each month, Amtrak's Mardi Gras line is downright petite—just two 58-seat coaches, plus a café car and a 14-seat Business Class car.—
Kara Newman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rips off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rips%20off. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
