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• mob
  mob

  noun

  a disorderly or riotous crowd of people.
• MOB
  MOB

  mother of the bride.

mob

¹ American  

[mob] / mɒb /

noun

1. a disorderly or riotous crowd of people.

2. a crowd bent on or engaged in lawless violence.

3. any group or collection of persons or things.

4. the common people; the masses; populace or multitude.

5. a criminal gang, especially one involved in drug trafficking, extortion, etc.

6. the Mob, Mafia.

7. Sociology. a group of persons stimulating one another to excitement and losing ordinary rational control over their activity.

8. a flock, herd, or drove of animals.

   a mob of sheep.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a lawless, irrational, disorderly, or riotous crowd: mob instincts.

   mob rule;

   mob instincts.

2. directed at or reflecting the lowest intellectual level of the common people: the mob mentality.

   mob appeal;

   the mob mentality.

verb (used with object)

• mobs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mobbed,
  past participle,  past
• mobbing
  present participle

1. to crowd around noisily, as from curiosity or hostility.

   Spectators mobbed the courtroom.

2. to attack in a riotous mob.

   The crowd mobbed the consulate.

3. Fox Hunting. to chop (a fox).

mob ² American  

[mob, mohb] / mɒb, moʊb /

noun

Digital Technology.

1. (in a video game) a hostile nonplayer character that the player may target and fight.

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MOB ³ American  

1. mother of the bride.

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mob ¹ British  

/ mɒb /

noun

1. 1. a riotous or disorderly crowd of people; rabble

   2. ( as modifier )

      mob law

      mob violence

2. derogatory a group or class of people, animals, or things

3. a flock (of sheep) or a herd (of cattle, esp when droving)

4. derogatory the masses

5. slang a gang of criminals

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verb

1. to attack in a group resembling a mob

2. to surround, esp in order to acclaim

   they mobbed the film star

3. to crowd into (a building, plaza, etc)

4. (of a group of animals of a prey species) to harass (a predator)

MOB ² British  

abbreviation

1. mobile phone

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Usage

What does mob mean? A mob is an unruly and often violent group of people, especially one engaged in a riot or other lawless violence. Some mobs organize intentionally to engage in violence and destruction, but sometimes people assemble spontaneously and turn into a mob, such as in reaction to some event. Because people who have massed together in such a way typically don’t follow any formal leadership or string of command, mobs are known for getting out of control and engaging in chaotic, unpredictable, and often violent behavior. Sometimes, the word refers to a large group of people acting in an aggressive or hostile way in a virtual space, as in Don’t post that unless you want to feel the wrath of the social media mob. This sense of mob is often used as a modifier (adjective) to describe things carried out by mobs or involving mobs, as in mob violence and mob rule. Like the word riot, the word mob is sometimes intentionally used inaccurately to portray groups in a negative way when this characterization is not warranted. For example, an opponent of a protest might call a group of peaceful protesters a mob as an attempt to discredit the protesters and their message. The word mob can also be used as a verb meaning to assemble in large numbers or crowd around someone or something, especially in an unruly way, as in Holiday shoppers mobbed the store as soon as it opened or The star is mobbed by photographers every time she leaves her house. A place or person who has been crowded in this way can be described with the adjective mobbed. As a verb, mob can also mean to attack as a mob, as in Wave after wave of rebels mobbed the embassy. Mob is sometimes used as a noun in a more figurative way to collectively refer to common people or the masses, in which case it is typically preceded by the, as in His campaign platform is too subtle to win over the mob. This sense of the word often implies that the common people lack sophistication, intelligence, or are otherwise base and crude. This is what’s implied in the phrase mob mentality, which refers to a mindset motivated by the basest human instincts. Much more specifically, organized crime groups known as the Mafia are sometimes also referred to as the Mob. A member of the Mob can be called a mobster. Example: Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of a mob is that the group and the people in it have passed the point of being able to be reasoned with.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mobber
  noun
• mobbishness
  noun
• mobbism
  noun
• mobbist
  noun
• mobbish
  adjective
• unmobbed
  adjective
• mobbishly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• mobbing
  present
• mobbed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• mob
  simple
• mobs
  simple
• have mobbed
  perfect
• has mobbed
  perfect
• am mobbing
  progressive
• are mobbing
  progressive
• is mobbing
  progressive
• have been mobbing
  perfect progressive
• has been mobbing
  perfect progressive

Past

• mobbed
  simple
• had mobbed
  perfect
• was mobbing
  progressive
• were mobbing
  progressive
• had been mobbing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will mob
  simple
• will have mobbed
  perfect
• will be mobbing
  progressive
• will have been mobbing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of mob¹

First recorded in 1680–90; short for Latin mōbile vulgus “the movable (i.e., changeable, inconstant) common people”

Origin of mob²

First recorded in 1980–85; coined by British video game developer Richard Bartle; shortening of mobile (in the sense “a moving sculpture hung from the ceiling”)

Explanation

A mob is a big, rowdy group of people. You might avoid shopping at the mall right before Christmas because you can't stand the mob of shoppers. A mob might gather around the piñata at a big birthday party or cluster in front of a music venue when tickets go on sale for a hugely popular concert. When people join one of these groups, you can also say that they mob, and "the mob" also sometimes refers to organized crime. You might describe the hundreds of people thronging the county fair on Friday night as a "mob scene." The Latin root, mobile vulgus, means "fickle common people."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mob MOB mobs mobbed mobbing

Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for mob enforcer-turned-informant Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on HBO's hit series "The Sopranos," has died at the age of 80, his manager told AFP on Saturday.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

There’s a well-known scene from a 2001 episode of “SpongeBob SquarePants” in which a mob of fish mistakes a feeble old man for a bully and attacks him.

From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026

She can go really mob wife really quick.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026

"No nurse or person going into their workplace should have to stop at any mob and give their ID - that's absolutely disgraceful."

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Neither set of officers wanted to get anywhere close to the mountain, but it would be better to escort people peacefully than face an angry mob.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

"The president of the MOB initiated an immediate consultation with the IOC sports director in order to clarify the situation," it added.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2024

I am the MOB who has been forbidden to discuss this with the MOG.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 4, 2021

Louis Vuitton was recently involved in a suit against a brand called My Other Bag, which uses a pattern similar to theirs with MOB printed as opposed to LV.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 8, 2016

Aerial MOB has already submitted about 18 applications for drone permits to the FAA, two of which have been approved, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2014

Later, the Bruins moved the Curb Event Center, and the MOB slowly grew.

From Newsweek ● Mar. 15, 2011

Duer was dragged to the gaol on March 23, trailed by mobs of creditors, including members of the city’s most prominent families.

From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026

In 2022 Sri Lankan mobs forced the powerful Rajapaksa brothers, who had dominated the country’s politics since 2005, to step down as prime minister and president.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025

Hindu mobs, however, demolished the mosque within months of the enactment of the law.

From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2024

Police claim that several witnesses were pushed during the flash mobs, but there were no reports of injuries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2024

Some individuals took the narrow view, insisting that the culpability and the solution lay with the mobs.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

But when the team showed up in Detroit ahead of its World Cup opener, the players were mobbed at the airport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

Shaw added that she was "happy to announce I will be staying at the football club", before being mobbed by her team-mates.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

Later that evening, Charles was mobbed by hundreds of well-wishers at a tea party held at the British Embassy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

The student body collectively sighed “Alas, this too,” but then mobbed the dorms anyway, cheering and hugging fearlessly with unmasked smiles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026

"When they mobbed the Hound, I thought first of the king."

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

But as any financial news reader knows, investors have been mobbing the exits of nontraded private credit funds in the past month.

From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026

But Leonard came through, his teammates mobbing him after the shot in celebration.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2025

The media's pursuit of Amy Winehouse is one of the main themes of the film, with paparazzi shown camping outside her home and mobbing her in the street.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2024

Finally, he grabbed Ian Kinsler from behind and started jumping up and down, which resulted in the team mobbing him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2024

They’re screaming and cheering and mobbing the team, who pulled out a fantastic win tonight.

From "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon M. Draper

Related Words

• clan
• crowd
• flock
• gang
• horde
• mass
• riot
• swarm
• throng
• troop