Rob vs steal
You rob a person or a place, like a bank or a store. You steal a thing, like money or a phone.
Think rob the bank, steal the money. Rob names the person or place, steal names the thing.
rob verb
To take money or things from a person or place, often by using force.
- Two men robbed a gas station on Main Street last night.
- Masked thieves tried to rob the bank in broad daylight.
steal verb
To take something that belongs to another person without permission, planning to keep it.
- Someone stole my bike from outside the library.
- Thieves broke in overnight to steal jewelry and cash.
Watch out
- Watch the small words. You rob a person or place of something. You steal something from a person or place.He robbed the shop of its cash, which means he stole cash from the shop.
- In slang, rob can mean to take a thing, like a phone. In standard English, use steal for the thing that is taken.Those kids robbed my phone right out of my hand.
Test yourself
Masked men tried to blank the bank this morning.
Show answer
rob. The bank is the place that loses money, so use rob.
She caught a boy trying to blank a candy bar from the store.
Show answer
steal. The candy bar is the thing taken. In standard English, use steal for the thing.
A thief tried to blank the old man of his savings.
Show answer
rob. You rob someone of something. With steal, the thing comes first and the person after from: steal his savings from the old man.
Someone might blank your phone if you leave it on the table.
Show answer
steal. The phone is the thing taken, so use steal.