highway robbery
Blatant financial exploitation
Highway robbery originally meant armed robbery of travelers on public roads—a crime that once plagued trade routes and was punishable by death.
The term now primarily describes outrageously excessive pricing: Twenty dollars for a sandwich? That's highway robbery!
The figurative use carries mock outrage, treating overcharging as a kind of theft.
Grossly overpriced exchange
- gougingExploitative overpricing
- extortionObtaining through threats
- outrageousShockingly bad or excessive
- scandalousMorally offensive or shocking
exorbitant · fleece · swindle · markup · overcharge · price gouging · tourist trap · ripoff
rip-off
Grossly overpriced exchange
- gougingExploitative overpricing
- extortionObtaining through threats
- outrageousShockingly bad or excessive
scandalous · exorbitant · fleece · swindle · markup · overcharge · price gouging · tourist trap · ripoff · exploitation
bandit
Armed roadside thief
- holdupTheft by threat
- stagecoachHorse-drawn route vehicle
- outlawFugitive from justice
ambush · masked · pistol · demand · traveler · coach · theft · heist · mugger · brigand
- theftstealing, larceny, steal, burglary, shoplifting
- plunderlooting, loot, booty, pillaging, spoils
- travel idiomshit the road, in the same boat, miss the boat, end of the road, crossroads
- money idiomsarm and a leg, break the bank, penny pincher, cheapskate, tightwad
- frontier crimescattle rustling, horse theft, rustling, outlaw gang, gunfight
- Georgian crimecapital offenses, death penalty, hanging, transportation, public execution
highway robberyfair price
Cost reflecting true value
bargain · good deal · steal · good value · bang for your buck
highway robberyfair trade
Equitable exchange between parties
square deal · philanthropy · win-win · mutual benefit · ethical business
highway, robber, robbery, robbed, robbing, robbers, highwayman, highwaymen