1
as in to rob
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
the teens ripped off the store where they had been working for the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
the thief ripped off some jewelry as soon as no one was looking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
an investigation revealed that a whole slew of suppliers had been ripping off the defense department
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of rip-off
Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Democrats came across in the election as defending the status quo—talking sometimes about insurance rip-offs —but fining or imprisoning no one.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Andrew Solender, Axios, 22 Jan. 2025
This was, after all, the team that started 1-4 only to rip off nine wins in 11 games.
—Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rip-off 
Noun
What Is ‘Nosferatu’? Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is a 1922 horror classic that was conceived as a rip-off of Dracula, after the film’s producers failed to get the rights to the famous Bram Stoker novel.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Democrats came across in the election as defending the status quo—talking sometimes about insurance rip-offs —but fining or imprisoning no one.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
The footage included Officer Daniel Hodges having his gas mask ripped off and being crushed in a door and Officer Michael Fanone being tased.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 22 Jan. 2025
This was, after all, the team that started 1-4 only to rip off nine wins in 11 games.
—Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rip-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rip-off
Noun
-
The first major legislation taken up by the new Congress was the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of migrants without legal status charged with burglary, theft and shoplifting.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Anyone with information about the collision and theft may call traffic investigators at 510-777-8570 or Criminal Investigation Division investigators at 510-238-3326.—
Harry Harris,
The Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Ironically the entire sequence only occurred because Demko, uncharacteristically, robbed Cale Makar arriving late and taking the fourth man’s ice, but let the puck spill out of his glove and into the corner where the Avalanche retrieved it.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Some of you are gonna go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
UnitedHealth Group now said hackers stole records of about 190 million people in last February's attack on its Change Healthcare subsidiary.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Mary Lou Lord told me about a particularly bad day in the London Tube, where a creepy guy with one arm peed in her guitar case, then stole her money—so that would be a bad day for her.—
Cary Baker,
SPIN,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
In February 1925, Ford cheated the electric chair by twisting up a bed sheet, suspending it from a bar over the door in the cell, and hanging himself.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2025
-
In a pair of posts on X Saturday (Jan. 18), Wayne accused the reigning Super Bowl champions — who that day bested the Houston Texans 23-14 — of cheating during games.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Meantime, seventh-rounder Kai Roberts swiped 14 bases, swatted his first professional homer and hit .340/.414/.470 in 24 games after the draft at low Single-A Lake Elsinore.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2025
-
In a video shared on RT’s YouTube channel, Burns is seen pulling up the company’s offices in Austin, swiping in — and entering a cavernous, dark studio.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The guidance drops have stirred concerns among investors that EA can continue to squeeze growth from its tentpole FC soccer franchise in particular, which accounts for a big slice of its operating revenues.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
4 Feb. 2025
-
Why Juicing Might Not Benefit the Microbiome The process of squeezing liquid from fruits and veggies, casting off its pulp, leaves one critical nutrient on the table (or, rather, in the blender): fiber.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
For Hodge, having to squat naked and pluck out her eye was nothing compared with what would follow.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
-
More than 750 northern tidewater gobies were plucked from a lagoon ravaged by the Palisades fire and transferred to aquariums.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
With a zero-to-60 time below 4 seconds, a quarter-mile time around 12 seconds, and a 155 mph top speed, the coupe clearly hustles.—
Karl Brauer,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
-
In this raucous odyssey a wanton minx quests hard across a dreamy landscape of smut, filth and psychics, hustling to lift a curse that has been f*cking her sh*t up.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near rip-off
Cite this Entry
“Rip-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rip-off. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share