/ˈɹɑbɚi/
Say it backRobbery is the act of taking someone else’s property by force, threat, or intimidation, typically through criminal means. In everyday use, it denotes a crime involving a confrontation, often with a weapon or coercive behavior, and can describe both the incident and the legal charge. The word emphasizes unlawful taking and the fear or risk to the victim.
"The bank robbery shocked the quiet town."
"Police investigated the armed robbery late into the night."
"The suspect pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge."
/ˈrɒb.ə.ri/ (UK) or /ˈrɑː.bə.ɹi/ (US); primary stress on first syllable ROB-, second syllable reduces to schwa, final -ry pronounced as 'ree' or 'ree' with light 'i' sound. In rapid speech you may hear /ˈrɒbəri/ with a reduced middle vowel. Mouth positions: start with an open, back-low vowel for ROB, then a relaxed, central schwa for the middle, and a clear 'ee' or 'ee-uh' for -ry. Audio references: consult Pronounce or Forvo for native speaker samples.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable, saying roBBe-ry; fix by affirming strong first-syllable stress. (2) Pronouncing the middle as /ɪ/ or /iː/ instead of a relaxed /ə/ (rob-EE-ree); use a short, neutral schwa. (3) Attaching the ending with a hard /r/ or /ri/ in non-rhotic accents; ensure the final /i/ is light and not overemphasized. Practice with slow repetition: ROB-ə-ree, then ROB-uh-ree, then ROB-ə-ry in connected speech.
In US English, /ˈrɑː.bə.ri/ with rhotic /r/ and a broad open-back first vowel; the middle syllable is a reduced schwa. UK English tends to /ˈrɒb.ə.ri/ with shorter first vowel and non-rhotic r, though some speakers maintain /r/ in careful speech. Australian English mirrors UK patterns but with a broader vowel in the first syllable, often /ˈɹɒb.ə.ɹi/ or /ˈɹɒb.ə.ɪ/. Across all, the second syllable is a weak schwa; final -ry is a light /ri/. Consistency in syllable timing and avoiding overpronunciation of the middle vowel helps clarity.
Difficulties arise from the triple-syllable rhythm and the central schwa in the middle syllable, which can sound like a full vowel to non-native speakers. The sequence ROB-ə-ry requires precise tongue positioning: open back vowel for /rɒ/ or /rɑː/ plus a quick, relaxed schwa, then a close front vowel for /ri/. The final -ry can run together with the preceding vowel in fast speech, creating crowding of sounds; practice with deliberate syllable isolation helps. Subtle US/UK vowel length and rhotics can trip non-native speakers.
Yes. The 'b' is pronounced as a typical bilabial stop in the first syllable /b/. The sequence is ROB-/b/ə-/ri/ with the b clearly released; do not skip the consonant. In rapid speech, you may hear a reduced first vowel and a lightly released /b/ before the middle vowel; however, the /b/ sound itself remains clear to maintain intelligibility.
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- US: rhotic /r/ in all positions; first vowel /ɑː/ or /ɑ/ depending on speaker; middle /ə/ is reduced; final /i/ is clear but light. - UK: non-rhotic /r/; first vowel often /ɒ/ as in 'rob', middle /ə/, final /i/ tends toward a clear 'ee' but short. - AU: features intermediate rhoticity; first vowel /ɒ/ or /ɒː/; middle /ə/; final /ɪ/ or /iː/ depending on speaker. Use IPA to guide your mouth positions; keep lips relaxed, jaw slightly lowered for ROB; tongue mid-low in the first syllable, relaxed in middle; end with a light, forward tongue position for /i/.
The word robbery derives from the Old French robberie meaning “the taking of goods by force,” linked to robber, from the French robber, which stems from the Frankish or Germanic roots robb- meaning ‘to steal.’ In Middle English, robbery appeared as robberi or robberie with the same sense of forceful seizure. By the 14th century, robbery referred to the act or instance of taking property by violence or intimidation, not simply theft. Throughout the 16th–18th centuries, it hardened into a legal term describing criminal acts against persons or property. The modern sense emphasizes the violent or threatening element and is closely tied to criminal law terminology in jurisdictions that distinguish robbery from theft or burglary. First known uses appear in legal and narrative texts of medieval and early modern England, with many early references tied to muggings and armed incursions, and later spreading to other English-speaking regions as law codes and policing expanded.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "robbery" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "robbery"
-ry? sounds
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