as in extortion
the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services
what some rock superstars charge for concert tickets is simply highway robbery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of highway robbery
This highway robbery of our funds directly out of our bank account is a betrayal of everyone who calls New York City home.
—
Maria Ramirez Uribe, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2025
Hospitals have gotten away with this sort of highway robbery for years, thanks to a combination of consolidation and misleading arguments.
—Craig M. Wax, Boston Herald, 13 June 2025
To me, one meant highway robbery and the other meant equal pain, equal pleasure.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
The Nets‘ famous offseason trade with the Knicks — centered around Mikal Bridges — looks more like highway robbery each day.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
Jerry showed no sign of clocking their absence, though Bill wasn’t watching too closely—an act of moral highway robbery, maybe, but what was depredation if not an escape from the mundane?
—Hazlitt, 9 Dec. 2024
Roberto Poli, Boynton Beach Highway robbery What has come out in the University of Florida student newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, regarding the spending of former UF president Ben Sasse, looks like highway robbery.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2024
At the airport sushi counter, where prices are no more offensive than the highway robbery over rubbery personal pizzas and gigantic pretzels, a confident—and meager—crowd silently communes over their unassuming California rolls.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2024
The Celtics’ acquisition of Porzingis was highway robbery.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 June 2024
Maria Ramirez Uribe, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2025
Hospitals have gotten away with this sort of highway robbery for years, thanks to a combination of consolidation and misleading arguments.
—Craig M. Wax, Boston Herald, 13 June 2025
To me, one meant highway robbery and the other meant equal pain, equal pleasure.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
The Nets‘ famous offseason trade with the Knicks — centered around Mikal Bridges — looks more like highway robbery each day.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
Jerry showed no sign of clocking their absence, though Bill wasn’t watching too closely—an act of moral highway robbery, maybe, but what was depredation if not an escape from the mundane?
—Hazlitt, 9 Dec. 2024
Roberto Poli, Boynton Beach Highway robbery What has come out in the University of Florida student newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, regarding the spending of former UF president Ben Sasse, looks like highway robbery.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2024
At the airport sushi counter, where prices are no more offensive than the highway robbery over rubbery personal pizzas and gigantic pretzels, a confident—and meager—crowd silently communes over their unassuming California rolls.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2024
The Celtics’ acquisition of Porzingis was highway robbery.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highway robbery
extortion
Noun
-
O’Brien’s predecessor George Cashman pled guilty to extortion, following a series of troubling incidents that included a grand jury investigation into shakedowns of producers on reportedly such films as The Cider House Rules and The Perfect Storm.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
-
Shuping was charged with human trafficking, racketeering, kidnapping, extortion and promoting prostitution, police said.—
Paloma Chavez
July 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Highway robbery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highway%20robbery. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share