mugger
1 Americannoun
noun
noun
-
informal a person who commits robbery with violence, esp in the street
-
a person who overacts
noun
Etymology
Origin of mugger1
An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; mug + -er 1
Origin of mugger2
First recorded in 1835–45, mugger is from the Hindi word magar
Explanation
Someone who steals another person's personal property after threatening to hurt them (or actually hurting them) is a mugger. Most muggers attack their victims in a public place. To steal things from someone is to rob them, and when it happens outside on the street or sidewalk, especially with the threat of violence, the robber is usually called a mugger. A mugger might brandish a weapon or merely threaten harm, and he usually steals money, jewelry, cell phones, or other valuables. Mugger comes from the verb mug, or "beat up," which originally meant "punch in the face," from the nickname mug, or "face."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The way my heart clenched up, you might have thought she was a mugger in an alley saying, “I would like to have your wallet.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
After gaining his spider powers, Peter Parker chooses not to stop a mugger who, moments later murders his uncle.
From BBC • Oct. 8, 2019
When he rushes to the aid of what he thinks is a damsel in distress, he finds a mugger uttering high-pitched screams, the woman who’s just pepper-sprayed him standing calmly at his side.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2019
On Saturday night, an alleged mugger managed to pick out a UFC fighter among those multitudes.
From The Guardian • Jan. 7, 2019
The officers took Beatrice home and offered to help find the mugger.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
