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daylight robbery
/ˈdeɪlaɪt ˈrɒbəri/◆idiom
extremely overpriced
They charged me $50 for a coffee—that's daylight robbery!
They charged an unfairly high price for a coffee.
informal
an act of charging an unfairly high price for something
The hotel room was daylight robbery at $300 a night.
The hotel room was extremely overpriced at $300 a night.
Buying bottled water at the stadium is daylight robbery.
Buying bottled water at the stadium is unfairly expensive.
Often used to express outrage at excessive pricing.
Collocations
pure daylight robberycompletely unfair pricingabsolute daylight robberyextremely unfair pricing
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
When to use
Use 'daylight robbery' when something is so overpriced that it feels like theft. It's informal and best suited for casual or emphatic contexts.
Gold Rule
Avoid literal interpretation
Do not confuse this with actual theft. It is purely a metaphor for unfair pricing.
Word Origin
The phrase originates from the 18th century, when robbing in broad daylight was considered brazen and bold. The metaphorical extension to pricing likely emerged in the 19th century, equating unfairly high prices with theft.
Usage Notes
Primarily used in British English but understood in other English varieties. Often used hyperbolically to emphasize perceived unfairness rather than actual theft.
Word Breakdown
daylight
during the day; in full view
nounrobbery
the act of stealing
nounEnglish Dictionary