What does robbery mean?
Robbery is the taking of property by force, violence, or intimidation. The term is commonly associated with an immediate confrontation between a robber and a victim, such as an armed holdup, but it can also describe the broader act of plundering an institution or diverting funds through criminal means. In legal classifications, robbery is generally treated more seriously than simple theft because it involves direct force or the threat of harm. The word carries strong emotional and moral connotations: it evokes crime, fear, and the loss of security. Outside strict legal usage, “robbery” may be used metaphorically for severe exploitation or unfair depletion of resources, though such expressions can sound deliberately dramatic. Its close relatives include theft, larceny, and burglary, but robbery specifically emphasizes coercion or physical force directed at a person.
nounThe act of taking property from someone by force, threat, or violence. It can also refer more broadly to an instance of stealing or serious financial wrongdoing.
- The act of taking property from someone by force, threat, or violence.
- The act of stealing or plundering, especially property belonging to an institution or public body.
"The robbery was reported shortly after the bank closed for the evening."
"Witnesses described the robbery as taking only a few seconds."
"The organization's accounts showed evidence of financial robbery by senior officials."
The plural is formed by adding -ies to robbery.
"Several robberies were reported throughout the city last year."
In law, the difference between robbery and ordinary theft can depend on a single moment: whether the thief used force or intimidation against a person.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does robbery come from?
Robbery developed in late Middle English from the Anglo-Norman French robberie, meaning a act of robbing or plunder. That form was ultimately derived from Latin robere, “to steal” or “to plunder,” a word of uncertain ultimate origin that is thought to be connected with Germanic sources. English developed related forms such as rob and robber, while words including rapine, rapacious, and rapture preserve the same broader Latin root tradition.
Related word forms
How robbery is actually used
In legal contexts, robbery is distinguished from non-violent theft because of the presence of force, violence, or intimidation. In broader editorial use, it can describe severe or systematic financial wrongdoing.
Easily confused with robbery
Robbery generally involves taking property from a person through force or intimidation, whereas burglary refers to unlawfully entering a building to steal property or commit another crime.
Larceny is the legal term for the unlawful taking of another person's property, while robbery specifically emphasizes force, violence, or intimidation.