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 governor has previously granted clemency only one time, in 2021, to Julius Jones, who was hours away from being executed for the murder of an insurance agent during a 1999 carjacking.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
Since the Operation Midway Blitz in September, many crimes have dropped, including a 15% drop in murders, murders, a 41% drop in robberies, and a 48% decrease in carjackings.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025
Washington’s conviction on Friday included enhancements for committing the murder during a carjacking and causing great bodily injury during the carjacking.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
That also includes Sheila and Amelia (Emilia Jones), a realtor from a privileged background, taken hostage by Ben in a carjacking, which ends up opening her eyes.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
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Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
Since the Operation Midway Blitz in September, many crimes have dropped, including a 15% drop in murders, murders, a 41% drop in robberies, and a 48% decrease in carjackings.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025
Washington’s conviction on Friday included enhancements for committing the murder during a carjacking and causing great bodily injury during the carjacking.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
That also includes Sheila and Amelia (Emilia Jones), a realtor from a privileged background, taken hostage by Ben in a carjacking, which ends up opening her eyes.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
Cite this Entry
“Carjacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carjacking. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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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