ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mob

n. · v.
US //ˈmɑb// UK //mˈɒb// mob
  1. 1 angry crowd (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a large, noisy, and often violent group of people.

    a large or disorderly crowd of people, especially one intent on causing trouble or violence.

    Example

    An angry mob gathered outside the courthouse to protest the decision.

    Example

    The police struggled to contain the mob as it surged toward the gates of the embassy during the height of the riots.
  2. 2 organized crime (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Law

    a group of people involved in organized crime, like the Mafia.

    a criminal organization or syndicate, specifically referring to the Mafia or similar groups.

    Example

    He was arrested for his alleged connections to the local mob.

    Example

    Federal investigators spent years tracking the financial transactions of the mob before they finally secured enough evidence for an indictment.
Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 gaming character (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Computing

    a monster or character in a video game that you have to fight.

    a non-player character (NPC) in a video game, typically one that is hostile and intended for combat.

    Example

    The player was defeated after being surrounded by a large group of mobs.

    Example

    The game's difficulty spikes significantly when multiple high-level mobs spawn simultaneously in the dungeon.
  2. 4 group of animals (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Dialect

    a group of animals, especially sheep, cattle, or kangaroos.

    a collective noun for a group of animals, particularly livestock or Australian wildlife.

    Example

    A mob of kangaroos hopped across the road just as the sun was setting.

    Example

    The drover managed to keep the mob of cattle together despite the sudden thunderstorm that threatened to scatter them.
  3. 5 to crowd around (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to crowd around someone in a noisy or excited way.

    to crowd around or surround someone, either with hostile intent or out of intense admiration.

    Example

    Fans began to mob the singer as soon as she stepped out of the car.

    Example

    Reporters continued to mob the witness, shouting questions and blocking his path to the waiting vehicle.
Etymology 1

From Middle English mob, short for mobile, from Latin mōbile (vulgus) (“fickle (crowd)”).

Etymology 2

Alteration of mab.

Etymology 3

Clipping of mobile. The video-gaming sense is sometimes reported as an abbreviation of man or beast or of mobile object, but these are backronyms.

Word family

© 2026 English Reference