highway robbery

noun

1
: robbery committed on or near a public highway usually against travelers
2
: excessive profit or advantage derived from a business transaction

Examples of highway robbery in a Sentence

Charging that much to see a movie is highway robbery! what some rock superstars charge for concert tickets is simply highway robbery
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At the airport sushi counter, where prices are no more offensive than the highway robbery over rubbery personal pizzas and gigantic pretzels, a confident—and meager—crowd silently communes over their unassuming California rolls. Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2024 The Celtics’ acquisition of Porzingis was highway robbery. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 June 2024 Today that February 2023 trade screams highway robbery, but hindsight is always the best teacher. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 June 2024 Gas prices feel like highway robbery. CBS News, 12 June 2022 The narrative that the Brewers committed highway robbery was pervasive. Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2023 The highway robbery of prison phone rates That breathless Guardian story about OED editor deleting foreign words? Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2012 For those convicted of highway robbery, a hand and a foot were amputated. Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2021 What should have been a thrilling end, win or lose, in a shootout between No. 17 Kentucky and Tennessee on Saturday night, felt more like a highway robbery for UK fans. Reina Kempt, The Courier-Journal, 7 Nov. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of highway robbery was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near highway robbery

Cite this Entry

“Highway robbery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highway%20robbery. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!