To rob means to steal something from a person or place, usually by force or threat. When someone robs a bank, they take money that doesn't belong to them, often using weapons or intimidation. A thief who robs someone on the street might grab their wallet and run away.

Robbing is different from some other kinds of stealing. If someone shoplifts a candy bar by slipping it into their pocket when no one's looking, that's theft but not robbery. Robbery usually involves confronting people or taking things directly from them, like a masked figure robbing a stagecoach in the Old West, or someone robbing a jewelry store during business hours.

The word also appears in expressions about unfairness. When you say you were robbed, you mean something valuable was taken from you unfairly, not necessarily by an actual robber. A team that loses on a terrible referee call might say they were robbed of victory. A student who receives an unfair grade might feel robbed of the recognition they deserved.