Robinson Crusoe

noun

Rob·​in·​son Cru·​soe ˈrä-bə(n)-sən-ˈkrü-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce Robinson Crusoe (audio)
: a shipwrecked sailor in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe who lives for many years on a desert island

Examples of Robinson Crusoe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The seeds were collected from the lone tree daisy, a type of flowering plant, on Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island. — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2026 With its episodic structure, the it-narrative echoed the form of picaresque novels such as The History of Tom Jones (1749) and popular adventure fiction such as Robinson Crusoe (1719). — Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026 Deep loggias on all sides, shaded with palm-frond roofs, like Robinson Crusoe's cabin, are furnished to provide further living space in the balmy summers. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026 But even Robinson Crusoe couldn’t dream up the world’s largest standalone overwater villa. — Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for Robinson Crusoe

Word History

First Known Use

1719, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Robinson Crusoe was in 1719

Rhymes for Robinson Crusoe

See All Rhymes for Robinson Crusoe

Browse Nearby Words

robinsonade
Robinson Crusoe
robinsonite
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Robinson Crusoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Robinson%20Crusoe. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All