rip off meaning and examples

Meaning

• Rip off is an informal phrasal verb that means:

  1. To cheat or overcharge someone (unfairly take money from them).
  2. To steal something.
  3. To copy someone else’s work, style, or idea dishonestly.

Grammar and Usage

• Part of speech: phrasal verb (informal).

• Transitive: requires an object (e.g., "The shop ripped me off").

• Common sentence structures:

  • rip sb off = cheat or overcharge someone.
  • be ripped off (passive) = be cheated or overcharged.
  • rip sth off = steal or copy something.

Common Phrases

• get ripped off – be cheated or overcharged.
• total rip-off – something very overpriced.
• rip-off version – a fake or copied product.

Collocations

• rip off customers
• rip off tourists
• feel ripped off
• a complete rip-off
• rip off designs

Examples

1. That taxi driver ripped us off by charging double the normal fare.
2. Be careful in tourist areas—you might get ripped off.
3. This handbag is a rip-off; it’s not worth $300.
4. They ripped off the idea from another company’s advertisement.
5. I felt ripped off after buying that phone—it broke in two days.
6. The store tried to rip me off with hidden fees.
7. The movie was just a rip-off of last year’s blockbuster.
8. He ripped off the lyrics from an old song.

Synonyms or Related

• cheat
• scam
• swindle
• overcharge
• defraud
• copy

Antonym

• treat fairly
• give value
• refund
• repay