rob
B1Neutral (common in both formal legal contexts and informal speech)
Definition
Meaning
To take property from someone illegally or by force, often with violence or threat.
To deprive someone of something important, rights, or opportunities unjustly. Can also refer to taking something valuable (like time, attention) in a metaphorical sense.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Focuses on the victim (rob someone/somewhere *of* something). Not used for stealing objects alone without a victim context (compare 'steal').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'rob' identically in core meaning. 'Rob' of time/opportunity is slightly more common in AmE.
Connotations
Identical strong association with crime. Metaphorical use ('rob of dignity') is equally accepted.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[S] rob [O] (place/person)[S] rob [O] of [O2] (thing)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Daylight robbery (rip-off)”
- “Rob Peter to pay Paul”
- “Rob someone blind”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'High taxes rob businesses of investment capital.'
Academic
Used in sociology/criminology: 'The study examines factors that rob individuals of social mobility.'
Everyday
'I was robbed!' (after a bad deal or unfair result). 'They robbed the post office last night.'
Technical
Legal: 'The defendant is charged with conspiracy to rob.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He tried to rob the jewellery shop in broad daylight.
- The new policy will rob the NHS of vital funds.
- I've been robbed! Call the police!
American English
- They robbed the convenience store at gunpoint.
- The injury robbed him of a chance at the championship.
- That price is robbery!
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- A man robbed the bank.
- The thief robbed her.
- They robbed the museum of several priceless paintings.
- Bad weather robbed us of our picnic.
- The scandal robbed the politician of all credibility.
- He felt robbed of his childhood by the constant moving.
- The ruling effectively robs citizens of their right to appeal.
- She accused the editor of robbing her article of its original nuance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'ROBber' wearing a mask. ROBBer → ROB. It happens TO someone.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNFAIR ACTION IS THEFT (e.g., 'The illness robbed him of his strength').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'красть' (steal). Russian often uses the same verb for both concepts. In English, you rob a person/bank, but you steal money/jewellery.
- Avoid direct translation of 'обокрасть' as 'rob' if the object is a thing; use 'steal'.
- The preposition 'of' is mandatory in the extended pattern (rob him OF his wallet).
Common Mistakes
- *They robbed my wallet. (Incorrect: They robbed ME of my wallet / They stole my wallet.)
- *He robbed a car. (Incorrect: He stole a car. / He robbed the car's owner.)
- Omitting 'of': *The scam robbed him his savings. (Correct: ...robbed him OF his savings.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is CORRECT?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Rob' focuses on the victim (person or place). 'Steal' focuses on the thing taken. You rob someone OF something, but you steal something FROM someone.
In its core legal sense, threat or force is implied. Metaphorically, it can mean unfair deprivation without physical violence (e.g., 'robbed of sleep').
Partly. 'Burgle' (AmE 'burglarize') specifically means to enter a building illegally to steal. It's a type of robbery, but 'rob' is broader (can be on the street, without entering).
The main noun is 'robbery'. A person who robs is a 'robber'. The act is a 'robbery'.