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
Last year, some 1-year-old dogs were robbed of their first race to show off their hard work during training season, Freking said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
Gonzalez and Renay Moreno, who prosecutors allege was an accomplice, then robbed seven patrons inside the game room, according to the district attorney’s office.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025
Years after a Meridian Walgreens was robbed — and after several court proceedings across Idaho and Nevada — the California men who stole thousands of dollars of prescription drugs have been sentenced.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2025
Those injuries have also robbed Odegaard of his two closest on-field collaborators.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
Gonzalez and Renay Moreno, who prosecutors allege was an accomplice, then robbed seven patrons inside the game room, according to the district attorney’s office.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025
Years after a Meridian Walgreens was robbed — and after several court proceedings across Idaho and Nevada — the California men who stole thousands of dollars of prescription drugs have been sentenced.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2025
Those injuries have also robbed Odegaard of his two closest on-field collaborators.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 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 4 Mar. 2025.
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