rob

verb

ˈräb 

robbed; robbing

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: 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

It is still in use though not as common as other senses.

then robbed $100 after the clerk fled

—Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union

Synonyms

• burglarize
• burgle
• knock off
• knock over
• rip off
• steal (from)
• take off [slang]

Examples of rob in a Sentence

Someone tried to rob me.

The cashier was robbed at gunpoint.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sociologists Erin Kelly and Phyllis Moen have also described how ever-increasing demands on workers’ time rob them of their health, security, and even the ability to get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis. —Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025

Most memorable moment: Fleury robbing Lidstrom in the dying seconds of Game 7 might be the single greatest ending to a Stanley Cup Final ever. —Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 16 June 2025

Right fielder Gregor Blanco ran into right-center to make a diving catch on the warning track and rob Jordan Schafer for the first out of the seventh. 2015 — Alex Rodriguez collects his 2,000th career RBI with a two-run home run in the New York Yankee’s 9-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025

Grisham, meanwhile, made two diving catches in center, robbing hits in the second and eighth innings. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English robben, from Anglo-French rober, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German roubōn to rob — more at reave

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing rob

• rob Peter to pay Paul
• rob someone blind
• rob the cradle

Rhymes for rob

• blob
• bob
• cob
• daub
• fob
• glob
• gob
• hob
• job
• knob
• lob
• mob

Kids Definition

rob

verb

ˈräb 

robbed; robbing

1

a

: to take something away from a person or place in secrecy or by force, threat, or trickery

b

: to take away as loot : steal

2

: to keep from getting something due, expected, or desired

robber noun