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
According to court documents, Gadson’s brother had previously tried to rob Bradford, who had allegedly sold him a faulty car.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2025
Schwartz decided to rob a local dentist, Dr. Victor Cook.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2025
Two people tried to rob him just before the shooting, police said.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
The shifty-looking man who followed Spencer’s wife into the ladies’ room at New York’s Grand Central Terminal beat and robbed her, taking her cash and everything of value — including the watch that Jennifer had given her to sell in case of emergency.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2025
Schwartz decided to rob a local dentist, Dr. Victor Cook.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2025
Two people tried to rob him just before the shooting, police said.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
The shifty-looking man who followed Spencer’s wife into the ladies’ room at New York’s Grand Central Terminal beat and robbed her, taking her cash and everything of value — including the watch that Jennifer had given her to sell in case of emergency.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 17 Mar. 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 28 Mar. 2025.
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