Rob the cradle
verb
To have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone significantly younger, typically with the man being older than the woman.
John, who is 40, is dating a 20-year-old woman. Some people might say he is robbing the cradle.
Often appears as...
- accused of robbing the cradle
- decided to rob the cradle
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Idiomatic
verb
To have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone significantly younger, typically with the man being older than the woman.
John, who is 40, is dating a 20-year-old woman. Some people might say he is robbing the cradle.
Often appears as...
- accused of robbing the cradle
- decided to rob the cradle
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Slang Term
This phrase is informal slang and might not be understood in formal contexts.
At a formal dinner, saying 'He's robbing the cradle' may be inappropriate.
Pro Tip 2/3Potential Disapproval
The phrase often implies a negative judgment or disapproval of the age difference.
When I said he was robbing the cradle, I noticed some people frowned.
Pro Tip 3/3Gender Neutral
Though typically used for older men and younger women, it can apply to any gender combination.
Sara is only 22 and dating a 50-year-old; some say she's robbing the cradle.
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