1
: a large and disorderly crowd of people
especially
: one bent on riotous or destructive action
2
informal
: a large number of people
a mob of shoppers clogged the aisles
a team greeted by mobs of fans
3
: a criminal set : gang
4
old-fashioned
: the common people : masses
5
chiefly Australia
: a flock, drove, or herd of animals
mobbed; mobbing
1
: to crowd about and attack or annoy
mobbed by autograph hunters
a crow mobbed by songbirds
2
: to crowd into or around
customers mob the stores on sale days
Synonyms
Examples of mob in a Sentence
Noun
The angry mob smashed store windows and attacked people on the streets.
The police had to be called in to handle the growing mob.
He was jailed for his dealings with the Mob.
Verb
The actor's fans mobbed him wherever he went.
Shoppers mobbed the stores during the holidays.
Recent Examples on the Web
Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
Because Trump seemed perfectly fine with the Jan. 6 mob lynching his vice president?
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
What followed was more horrific bloodshed — angry mobs pulled people from their homes, temples were burned to the ground, Sikhs disappeared.
—Sandhya Dirks, NPR, 30 Mar. 2024
In late 2019, after American forces retaliated against the group for the death of one of their contractors (apparently at the hands of the Islamic State), killing a number of Kataib Hezbollah fighters, the group directed an angry mob of supporters to storm the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
—Joost Hiltermann, Foreign Affairs, 28 Mar. 2024
On June 19, 1939, a mob attacked her home at 940 E. Annie St.
On March 21, 2024, Opal Lee cut a wood stud and raised a wall for her new home on the same lot.
—Candi Bolden, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2024
The subcommittee's review also noted that the crossbeam and noose weren't added to the wood base until the 1 p.m. hour — the same hour when the riotous mob began attacking police officers and advancing toward and beyond the police line.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2024
Soon enough the progressive coterie is a reactionary mob, everyone having bitten off a discrete morsel of complaint until nothing is left to defend.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024
And only five days later, a violent white mob destroyed it.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2024
Kevin Ambrose, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Other teammates mobbed and hugged each other, and the fans who made the trip from Henderson, Tennessee, screamed almost in disbelief.
—Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024
The film’s fashion reputation preceded it; fans with temporary machine-gun tattoos mobbed the red carpet.
—Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024
More viral trends:Sephora kids are mobbing retinol, anti-aging products.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024
Sophia Smith of the U.S. broke the stalemate in the 99th, falling to her knees in celebration before she was mobbed by her teammates.
—CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024
Pop star Taylor Swift, who was seated in a box with her friends and the family of boyfriend Travis Kelce, appeared elated and was mobbed by her friends after the win.
—Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024
The countdown to closing had begun with a clearance sale, and the store was mobbed.
—John Carlisle, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2024
His players were mobbed by their fans and classmates who reveled in the rare chance to storm Rec Hall’s old court.
—Travis Johnson, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
The attack occurred when a mob supporting former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
Because Trump seemed perfectly fine with the Jan. 6 mob lynching his vice president?
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
What followed was more horrific bloodshed — angry mobs pulled people from their homes, temples were burned to the ground, Sikhs disappeared.
—Sandhya Dirks, NPR, 30 Mar. 2024
In late 2019, after American forces retaliated against the group for the death of one of their contractors (apparently at the hands of the Islamic State), killing a number of Kataib Hezbollah fighters, the group directed an angry mob of supporters to storm the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
—Joost Hiltermann, Foreign Affairs, 28 Mar. 2024
On June 19, 1939, a mob attacked her home at 940 E. Annie St.
On March 21, 2024, Opal Lee cut a wood stud and raised a wall for her new home on the same lot.
—Candi Bolden, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2024
The subcommittee's review also noted that the crossbeam and noose weren't added to the wood base until the 1 p.m. hour — the same hour when the riotous mob began attacking police officers and advancing toward and beyond the police line.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2024
Soon enough the progressive coterie is a reactionary mob, everyone having bitten off a discrete morsel of complaint until nothing is left to defend.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024
And only five days later, a violent white mob destroyed it.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2024
Verb
During the visit, the mascot was mobbed by people wanting pictures and children on field trips who wanted to meet Stumpy.
—Kevin Ambrose, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Other teammates mobbed and hugged each other, and the fans who made the trip from Henderson, Tennessee, screamed almost in disbelief.
—Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024
The film’s fashion reputation preceded it; fans with temporary machine-gun tattoos mobbed the red carpet.
—Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024
More viral trends:Sephora kids are mobbing retinol, anti-aging products.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024
Sophia Smith of the U.S. broke the stalemate in the 99th, falling to her knees in celebration before she was mobbed by her teammates.
—CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024
Pop star Taylor Swift, who was seated in a box with her friends and the family of boyfriend Travis Kelce, appeared elated and was mobbed by her friends after the win.
—Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024
The countdown to closing had begun with a clearance sale, and the store was mobbed.
—John Carlisle, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2024
His players were mobbed by their fans and classmates who reveled in the rare chance to storm Rec Hall’s old court.
—Travis Johnson, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mob.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing mob
Articles Related to mob
Dictionary Entries Near mob
Cite this Entry
“Mob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mob. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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More from Merriam-Webster on mob
Nglish: Translation of mob for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of mob for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mob
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