Word
robbery
Phoneticsrob·bery
US/ˈɹɑbɝi/
UK/ɹˈɒbəɹi/
Definitions
01the crime of stealing by force
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Law
n. the act of stealing something from a person or a building while using violence or threats.
n. the criminal act of taking property from another person through the use of force, violence, or the threat of harm.
日本語:強盗※
“The police are looking for two men following a bank robbery yesterday morning.”
“The prosecution argued that the presence of a weapon elevated the charge from simple theft to armed robbery, regardless of whether the defendant intended to use it.”
Pitfall
The thief committed a robbery of my car while I was at work.
The thief committed a theft of my car while I was at work.
Use 'robbery' when a person is threatened or present; use 'theft' or 'burglary' for stealing from an empty location or vehicle.
02unfairly high price
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal · Humorous
n. a situation where you think something is much too expensive.
n. an informal figurative extension describing a transaction perceived as being excessively or unfairly expensive.
“Ten dollars for a small bottle of water? That is daylight robbery.”
“Charging such exorbitant interest rates on short-term loans is nothing short of legalised robbery, targeting those who can least afford it.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “robbery” in context.
Verb
01. commit a robbery
“The suspects were caught on camera trying to commit a robbery at the local convenience store.”
verb + noun
02. investigate a robbery
“Detectives are currently investigating a robbery that took place at the downtown bank yesterday.”
verb + noun
03. report a robbery
“The shopkeeper immediately called the police to report a robbery that had just occurred.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. armed robbery
“He was sentenced to ten years in prison for his involvement in an armed robbery.”
adj + noun
05. daring robbery
“The thieves executed a daring robbery in broad daylight, escaping with millions in jewelry.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. bank robbery
“The city has seen a significant increase in bank robbery incidents over the last six months.”
noun + noun
07. spate of robberies
“Police are warning residents to be vigilant following a recent spate of robberies in the neighborhood.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“Police said they believe the same suspect is responsible for the robberies.” “The suspected murderers of two Australian surfers and an American at a Mexican surfing hotspot have gone on trial, two years after the killings in a suspected robbery.” Etymology
From Middle English robberie, robry, roberie, from Old French roberie, from the verb rober (“to steal; to pillage”) + -ie. Ultimately from unattested Frankish *raubōn. By surface analysis, rob + -ery. Compare Dutch roverij (“robbery”), Norwegian Bokmål røveri (“robbery”), German Räuberei (“robbery, banditry”). Displaced native Old English rēaflāc.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
01. daylight robbery
02. highway robbery
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/robbery
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0