highway robbery: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, colloquial, figurative.
Quick answer
What does “highway robbery” mean?
Historically, the crime of robbing travelers on a public road, often by force or threat of force.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Historically, the crime of robbing travelers on a public road, often by force or threat of force.
A modern idiomatic expression describing a situation where someone is charged an exorbitant, unfair, or ridiculously high price for something, making it feel like theft.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally common and understood in both varieties. The original crime was historically prevalent in both regions.
Connotations
Identical in both; implies blatant unfairness and exploitation.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to historical cultural references (e.g., Old West), but common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “highway robbery” in a Sentence
[Subject 'It'/'That'] + be + highway robbery[Noun Phrase] + be + highway robberyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “highway robbery” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They're highway-robbing us with these train fares!
- (less common as verb, but possible)
American English
- The garage totally highway-robbed me on the repair bill.
adverb
British English
- They priced it highway-robbery high.
- (extremely rare)
American English
- (Rare to non-standard)
adjective
British English
- The hotel's mini-bar prices were highway-robbery rates.
- (hyphenated attributive use)
American English
- It was a highway-robbery price for a basic sandwich.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used informally to complain about supplier costs, service fees, or licensing charges.
Academic
Rare; might appear in economic or historical texts discussing pricing or historical crime.
Everyday
Very common when discussing prices for food, tickets, services, repairs.
Technical
Not used in legal contexts for actual robbery charges.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “highway robbery”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “highway robbery”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “highway robbery”
- Using it in a formal complaint letter (too informal).
- Using it to describe an actual robbery on a motorway (archaic, confusing).
- Incorrectly capitalising it as a proper noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic historical term. Modern law uses terms like 'robbery', 'armed robbery', or 'mugging'. The idiom is purely figurative.
They are synonyms in their modern idiomatic sense. 'Daylight robbery' is perhaps more common in UK English, but both are understood everywhere.
It is too informal and emotive for a formal report. Use 'exorbitant', 'extortionate', 'unconscionable', or 'unjustifiably high' instead.
Primarily yes, but it can be extended metaphorically to other unfair exchanges (e.g., 'Trading my rare card for that common one would be highway robbery').
Historically, the crime of robbing travelers on a public road, often by force or threat of force.
Highway robbery: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪweɪ ˈrɒbəri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪweɪ ˈrɑːbəri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “daylight robbery (UK variant with identical meaning)”
- “highway robbery”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine buying a bottle of water and the seller points a fake gun at you saying 'That'll be £20!' – it's not a real robbery on a highway, but it feels just as criminal.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNFAIR PRICING IS BANDITRY / COMMERCE IS THEFT.
Practice
Quiz
In which situation is the idiom 'highway robbery' used correctly?