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)
rob a safe
(2)
: to take the contents of (a receptacle)
rob a hive of honey
c
: to take away as loot : steal
rob jewelry
2
a
: to deprive of something due, expected, or desired
made a great shot but was robbed by the goalie
Illness robbed her of a normal childhood.
b
: to withhold unjustly or injuriously
was robbed of a promotion
: to commit robbery
robber
noun
see also rob Peter to pay Paul
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
Two days later, White robbed a Dollar General cashier and took off with a handful of cash, police said.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
In any case, many in East Asia complain that their systems work children too hard, robbing them of fun, and focus too much on memorization and not enough on creativity.
—Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The indictment, which was not available online Wednesday morning, alleges that Wilcox attempted to rob a bank in Kansas City on May 8, 2024.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Long Beach resident Dangelo Davonte Thomas and Lancaster resident Demoryie Watts were convicted of robbing bank customers at parking lots in Glendale, Temple City, La Puente, Rosemead and Rowland Heights, according to the release.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
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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Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
In any case, many in East Asia complain that their systems work children too hard, robbing them of fun, and focus too much on memorization and not enough on creativity.
—Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The indictment, which was not available online Wednesday morning, alleges that Wilcox attempted to rob a bank in Kansas City on May 8, 2024.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Long Beach resident Dangelo Davonte Thomas and Lancaster resident Demoryie Watts were convicted of robbing bank customers at parking lots in Glendale, Temple City, La Puente, Rosemead and Rowland Heights, according to the release.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rob
Cite this Entry
“Rob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rob. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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