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
Overall, the carjacking ring involved about 60 carjackings, including 29 that were charged in the superseding indictment.
—Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
In a social media post, Gary Police requested that anyone with information related to the reported carjacking, the child solicitation investigation, or any other potential incidents involving Jovanovic contact the Detective Bureau at 219-881-1209.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Although homicide rates in Chile are still some of the lowest in the region, carjackings, kidnappings and contract killings previously unseen in the stable nation have flooded local media and spread fear, leading many Chileans to blame the new arrivals.
—Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Although homicide rates in Chile are still some of the lowest in the region, carjackings, kidnappings and contract killings previously unseen in the stable nation have flooded local media and spread fear, leading many Chileans to blame the new arrivals.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
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Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
In a social media post, Gary Police requested that anyone with information related to the reported carjacking, the child solicitation investigation, or any other potential incidents involving Jovanovic contact the Detective Bureau at 219-881-1209.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Although homicide rates in Chile are still some of the lowest in the region, carjackings, kidnappings and contract killings previously unseen in the stable nation have flooded local media and spread fear, leading many Chileans to blame the new arrivals.
—Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Although homicide rates in Chile are still some of the lowest in the region, carjackings, kidnappings and contract killings previously unseen in the stable nation have flooded local media and spread fear, leading many Chileans to blame the new arrivals.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 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 27 Mar. 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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