carjacking
noun
car·jack·ing
ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ 
: the theft of an automobile from its driver by force or intimidation
In the cities and suburbs, where muggings and carjackings are a daily concern, voters are wondering how many of the nation's 200 million guns are pointed at them.—
Richard Lacayo
Richard Lacayo… Congress made a show of getting tough on crime by making armed carjackings a federal crime.—Janet Novack
Janet Novack
carjack
transitive verb
carjacked; carjacking; carjacks
Several weeks after the shooting, a woman my age was carjacked there.
—Susan Straight
Susan Straight
carjacker
noun
plural carjackers
If you're confronted by a carjacker, be cooperative. The big picture: It's your car versus your life.
—Amy Lumet
Amy Lumet
Examples of carjacking in a Sentence
The police are investigating another carjacking.
Recent Examples on the Web
The mayor said that carjackings are down 45%, burglaries are down 16%, auto theft is down 7%, and total robberies are down 14% compared to this time last year.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 7 June 2026
He is scheduled to return to court Wednesday for a hearing regarding the charges stemming from the alleged shooting, with his next court date in the alleged carjacking and armed robbery case set for July 15.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Six other individuals were charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Zeigler was arrested days later and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on a murder charge
Prosecutors said an allegation that Zeigler has prior strike convictions for robbery and carjacking will be decided at sentencing.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
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Adam Thompson, CBS News, 7 June 2026
He is scheduled to return to court Wednesday for a hearing regarding the charges stemming from the alleged shooting, with his next court date in the alleged carjacking and armed robbery case set for July 15.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Six other individuals were charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Zeigler was arrested days later and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on a murder charge
Prosecutors said an allegation that Zeigler has prior strike convictions for robbery and carjacking will be decided at sentencing.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
Cite this Entry
“Carjacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carjacking. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
carjacking
noun
car·jack·ing
ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ
: theft by force or intimidation of an auto that has a driver or passenger present
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