daylight robbery
B2informal, idiomatic
Definition
Meaning
An extremely unfair price; charging far more than something is worth.
A situation where someone is blatantly overcharged, often with a sense of exploitation or being taken advantage of in plain view.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This idiom implies not just high cost, but an outrageous, shameless, and exploitative charge. It suggests the unfairness is so obvious it might as well happen in broad daylight.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phrase is used and understood in both varieties, but is arguably more common and established in British English.
Connotations
Both carry strong negative connotations of exploitation. The 'robbery' metaphor is equally vivid.
Frequency
More frequent in UK media and colloquial speech regarding pricing (e.g., train tickets, service charges). In the US, 'highway robbery' is a more common variant with identical meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject: It/That/This/Price] + be + daylight robbery.[Subject: Person/Company] + charge + [Object] + daylight robbery.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “highway robbery (US equivalent)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in consumer complaints, discussions of pricing strategy (critically), and negotiations.
Academic
Rare; might appear in economics or sociology papers discussing perceived price fairness.
Everyday
Very common in informal complaints about prices for services, tickets, food, drinks, etc.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Five pounds for an ice cream? That's daylight robbery!
- The taxi fare from the airport was daylight robbery; I felt completely cheated.
- Charging that much for a basic software subscription is nothing short of daylight robbery.
- The government was accused of daylight robbery after announcing the steep hike in vehicle tax.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine buying a cup of coffee for £20 in the middle of a sunny street. The seller isn't even hiding the unfairness—it's robbery in the daylight.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION IS THEFT / EXCESSIVE PRICING IS CRIME.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'дневной грабёж'.
- Avoid confusing with 'daylight' as in 'sunlight'.
- The idiom refers to price, not an actual violent crime.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to describe an actual robbery that happened during the day (literal misinterpretation).
- Using it for slightly high prices (reserved for extreme cases).
Practice
Quiz
In which situation would 'daylight robbery' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is always an idiom referring to unfair pricing, not literal theft.
They are synonymous. 'Daylight robbery' is more common in British English, while 'highway robbery' is the traditional American variant, though both are understood globally.
It is distinctly informal and idiomatic. It is suitable for conversation, complaints, and informal writing, but not for formal reports or academic prose.
No, this is not standard. The phrase functions as a noun phrase (predicatively). You would say 'The price is daylight robbery,' not 'a daylight robbery price'.