mob

1 of 2

noun

1
: a large and disorderly crowd of people
especially : one bent on riotous or destructive action
2
informal : a large number of people
a mob of shoppers clogged the aisles
a team greeted by mobs of fans
3
: a criminal set : gang
especially, often capitalized : mafia sense 1
a member of the Mob
a mob informant
4
old-fashioned : the common people : masses
5
chiefly Australia : a flock, drove, or herd of animals
mobbish adjective

mob

2 of 2

verb

mobbed; mobbing

transitive verb

1
: to crowd about and attack or annoy
mobbed by autograph hunters
a crow mobbed by songbirds
2
: to crowd into or around
customers mob the stores on sale days
Choose the Right Synonym for mob

crowd, throng, horde, crush, mob mean an assembled multitude.

crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters
a horde of shoppers

crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

Examples of mob in a Sentence

Noun The angry mob smashed store windows and attacked people on the streets. The police had to be called in to handle the growing mob. He was jailed for his dealings with the Mob. Verb The actor's fans mobbed him wherever he went. Shoppers mobbed the stores during the holidays.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At those coordinates, Xavier’s whole crew performed under the light of the moon for a raucous mob as fireworks exploded overhead. Hattie Lindert, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 Armed gangs are taking over the streets of Gaza City, fistfights and stabbings are commonplace in long queues for food, and the occasional aid trucks that arrive must brave mobs of looters. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 The whole moment was giving mob wife cosplay. McCarthy, 53, wielded her clutch proudly on the red carpet, showing it off to every photographer who looked her way. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The board said evidence suggested county officials at the time were partly responsible for his death after a mob wrested Daniel from a county jail cell. Joe Heim, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 Wallack and others have proposed a large music festival during the third week of spring break — when aimless and unruly crowds tend to reach their climax — with the hope that attendees will disperse the loitering mobs. David Fischer, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 As non-Italian women started to share their mob wife looks, claims of cultural appropriation began surfacing. Essence, 29 Feb. 2024 It is estimated that between 75 to 300 Black people were killed during the 1921 massacre by a White mob that targeted Greenwood, the Black section of Tulsa. Analisa Novak, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2024 California Young teen accused of ramming car into Ruben’s Bakery before mob ransacked it Jan. 24, 2024 A few minutes later, both suspects allegedly left the business carrying multiple bags. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
The countdown to closing had begun with a clearance sale, and the store was mobbed. John Carlisle, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2024 His players were mobbed by their fans and classmates who reveled in the rare chance to storm Rec Hall’s old court. Travis Johnson, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 On a world tour this year, he was mobbed by a crowd of adoring fans at an event in London. Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 18 Nov. 2023 Newsom’s office declined to identify which Target the encounter occurred at, to keep the media from mobbing the store. Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024 That was probably the last time Daniel could walk around and not get mobbed. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2024 After Jeanne-Rose scored the last of his 24 points at the line, and the Blue Devils had tucked away their statement victory, 75-70, over Merrimack on Monday, he was mobbed by youngsters streaming down from the bleachers at Detrick Gym. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2024 And the wrap is mobbed with rounds of Taiwanese sausage, pickled mustard greens, slivers of raw cucumber, green onion and cilantro. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2024 Was Prince William really mobbed by girls on a royal visit to Canada? K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mob.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin mobile vulgus vacillating crowd

First Known Use

Noun

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mob was in 1688

Dictionary Entries Near mob

Cite this Entry

“Mob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mob. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mob

1 of 2 noun
1
: the common people : masses
2
: a large rowdy crowd : rabble
3
: a criminal gang

mob

2 of 2 verb
mobbed; mobbing
: to crowd about and attack or annoy

More from Merriam-Webster on mob

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