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 rob Peter to pay Paul
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
The loss not only completes the Saints’ second sweep of the Panthers in three seasons but also drops the Panthers to 7-7 on the season — and robs them of sole possession of the NFC South lead.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Dec. 2025
On its face, the film is about the cops-and-robbers, Tom-and-Jerry dynamic between Vincent Hanna, a Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant (played by Al Pacino), and Neil McCauley, a bank-robbing mastermind (Robert De Niro).
—Jesse Raub, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025
Police said the pair then pulled the victim out of his car, punched him multiple times in the face, and robbed him before fleeing the scene.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Set in Philadelphia, the series follows Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny (Wagner Moura), two longtime friends running a reckless hustle by posing as DEA agents and robbing drug dealers who can’t call the cops.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
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.
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Dec. 2025
On its face, the film is about the cops-and-robbers, Tom-and-Jerry dynamic between Vincent Hanna, a Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant (played by Al Pacino), and Neil McCauley, a bank-robbing mastermind (Robert De Niro).
—Jesse Raub, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025
Police said the pair then pulled the victim out of his car, punched him multiple times in the face, and robbed him before fleeing the scene.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Set in Philadelphia, the series follows Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny (Wagner Moura), two longtime friends running a reckless hustle by posing as DEA agents and robbing drug dealers who can’t call the cops.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Dec. 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 18 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share