armed robbery: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal; used in legal, journalistic, police, and everyday contexts when discussing serious crime.
Quick answer
What does “armed robbery” mean?
The crime of stealing from a person or place while using or threatening to use a weapon, such as a gun or knife.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The crime of stealing from a person or place while using or threatening to use a weapon, such as a gun or knife.
A legal category of serious theft distinguished by the presence or threatened use of a weapon, typically carrying severe penalties. It can also refer, in broader journalistic or sociological contexts, to a pattern or wave of such criminal incidents.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition. Spelling and legal codification are nation-specific, but the term is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally serious and frightening in both cultures. In the US, due to wider gun availability, it may more frequently imply a firearm.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in news and legal reporting in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “armed robbery” in a Sentence
[Subject] committed armed robbery on/of [Target].There was an armed robbery at [Location].[Victim] was a victim of an armed robbery.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “armed robbery” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was imprisoned for armed robbing. (Note: 'armed robbing' is possible but less common than the noun form)
American English
- The gang was convicted of armed robbing a series of pharmacies.
adjective
British English
- He has an armed robbery conviction.
American English
- She is part of an armed robbery task force.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in risk assessment reports: 'The store's insurance premium increased due to the risk of armed robbery.'
Academic
Used in criminology or sociology papers: 'The study correlates unemployment rates with frequency of armed robbery.'
Everyday
Used in news discussions: 'Did you hear about the armed robbery at the post office?'
Technical
Used in police codes and legal statutes: 'The suspect is wanted on three counts of armed robbery under Section 8.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “armed robbery”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “armed robbery”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “armed robbery”
- Incorrect: 'He did an armed robbery.' Correct: 'He committed armed robbery.'
- Incorrect: 'The bank was stolen.' (for the event) Correct: 'The bank was robbed.' / 'There was an armed robbery at the bank.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While guns are common, 'armed robbery' involves any weapon (e.g., knife, baseball bat, bomb threat) used to threaten violence during a theft.
'Robbery' is theft with force or threat of force. 'Armed robbery' is a specific, more serious type of robbery where the force or threat is carried out with a weapon.
Yes. While it often involves confronting a person (e.g., a cashier), an 'armed robbery at a bank' is correct. The key is the use of a weapon during the theft, regardless of whether victims are immediately present.
Yes. It is a fixed noun phrase where the adjective 'armed' modifies the noun 'robbery' to create a specific legal and colloquial term.
The crime of stealing from a person or place while using or threatening to use a weapon, such as a gun or knife.
Armed robbery is usually formal; used in legal, journalistic, police, and everyday contexts when discussing serious crime. in register.
Armed robbery: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɑːmd ˈrɒbəri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɑːrmd ˈrɑːbəri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a robber's ARM holding a weapon -> ARMed ROBBERY.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRIME IS A DISEASE / WAR ('a wave of armed robberies swept the city', 'crackdown on armed robbery').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the MOST accurate definition of 'armed robbery'?