rob the cradle
The idiom "rob the cradle" is often used disapprovingly to describe relationships with significant age differences.
Definition
C1Relationships
(idiomatic, disapproving)To enter into a romantic relationship with someone much younger.
Example
- When he started dating her, everyone said he was robbing the cradle.
C1General
(idiomatic, disapproving)To involve a young person in an activity considered unsuitable for their age.
Example
- Hiring a teenager for such a demanding job feels like robbing the cradle.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "rob the cradle":