rip-off

1 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of stealing : theft
also : a financial exploitation
2
: a usually cheap exploitive imitation

rip off

2 of 2

verb

ripped off; ripping off; rips off

transitive verb

1
a
: rob
also : cheat, defraud
b
: steal
2
: to copy or imitate blatantly or unscrupulously
3
: to perform, achieve, or score quickly or easily
ripped off 10 straight points

Examples of rip-off in a Sentence

Noun a daring burglary of the art museum that resulted in one of the greatest rip-offs in history Verb the teens ripped off the store where they had been working for the summer the thief ripped off some jewelry as soon as no one was looking
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.
Noun
Since then, Aguilera has always had a little problem with trend chasing (nobody needed a Lady Gaga rip-off from her). Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025 Dope Thief follows two thieves who pose as DEA agents to rip-off drug dealers. Erik Kain, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Many allies feel they have been reluctantly drawn into a confrontation by Trump, who routinely says America's friends and foes have ripped off the United States with tariffs and other trade barriers. Arkansas Online, 3 Apr. 2025 The president will be announcing a tariff plan that will roll back the unfair trade practices that have been ripping off our country for decades. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rip-off

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1969, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1967, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rip-off was in 1967

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rip-off. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

rip-off

1 of 2 noun
ˈrip-ˌȯf
: an act or an instance of ripping off

rip off

2 of 2 verb
ˈrip-ˈȯf
1
: rob sense 1a
also : to cheat someone : defraud
2

More from Merriam-Webster on rip-off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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