Crowd vs The whole mob is after you

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Crowd

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun

The whole mob is after you

InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: CrowdMost common: Crowd
 CrowdThe whole mob is after you
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/kraʊd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kraʊd/"]/🇬🇧 //ðə hoʊl mɒb ɪz ˈɑːftər juː//🇺🇸 //ðə hoʊl mɑb ɪz ˈæftər ju//
MeaningA large group of people together in one place.A large group of people who are angry or aggressive.
ExampleThe crowd at the concert was enormous and filled with energy.The whole mob is after you for taking their money!
RegisterNeutralInformal
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelA2-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsbig, bumper, capacity, attract, bring, bring in, assemble, collect, gather, control, favourite/​favorite, noise, among a/​the crowd, in a/​the crowd, through a/​the crowd, the back of a crowd, the front of a crowd, the middle of a crowd, big, bumper, capacity, attract, bring, bring in, assemble, collect, gather, control, favourite/​favorite, noise, among a/​the crowd, in a/​the crowd, through a/​the crowd, the back of a crowd, the front of a crowd, the middle of a crowd, be one of, follow, stand out from, a face in the crowdangry mob, chasing a mob, fear the mob
Antonymssolitude, individual-
Common mistakesConfused with 'crowd' as a verb; remember it's primarily a noun., Using 'crowd' to describe a small group of people., Incorrectly pluralizing as 'crowds' when talking about the general concept.Confusing 'mob' with 'group' - 'mob' implies aggression or anger., Using 'mob' in formal contexts - it is generally informal., Assuming 'mob' can refer to any group; it usually refers to a hostile crowd.
Usage notesUse 'crowd' when referring to a grouped collection of people, especially in public spaces. It's suitable in both casual and formal contexts but might be less appropriate when referring to organized gatherings or smaller groups.Used in casual conversations to indicate that many people are pursuing or wanting to confront someone, often in a negative way.

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The whole mob is after you

Frequently asked questions: Crowd vs The whole mob is after you

What's the difference between Crowd and The whole mob is after you?

Crowd: A large group of people together in one place. The whole mob is after you: A large group of people who are angry or aggressive.

Which is more formal: Crowd and The whole mob is after you?

Crowd is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Crowd and The whole mob is after you?

Crowd is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Crowd: The crowd at the concert was enormous and filled with energy. The whole mob is after you: The whole mob is after you for taking their money!

Can I use Crowd and The whole mob is after you interchangeably?

Not always. Crowd and The whole mob is after you are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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