Mob

Mob is a term used in English to refer to a large, often disorderly crowd. In everyday use, a mob describes people gathered in a public place who may act with heightened emotion, sometimes leading to aggression or vandalism. The concept is linked to crowd psychology, where anonymity and diffusion of responsibility can reduce individual restraint, a phenomenon known as deindividuation. Mobs are not inherently violent; they can form for protest, celebration, or fear, but circumstances can push a crowd toward rapid, uncoordinated action.

In popular culture, "the mob" is also a shorthand for organized crime groups, especially the Mafia, historically prominent in cities such as New York and Chicago. The term carries connotations of secrecy, hierarchy, and criminal enterprise.

In video games and fantasy literature, a "mob" is a non-player character or creature controlled by the game, typically hostile, whose defeat yields rewards. The term is common in MMORPGs, action RPGs, and similar genres, where players defeat many such entities called mobs.

As a verb, "to mob" means to crowd around someone or something, or to attack en masse. The word thus spans social science, crime reportage, and popular entertainment, with usage shaped by context.