carjacking

noun

car·​jack·​ing ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ How to pronounce carjacking (audio)
: 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
… Congress made a show of getting tough on crime by making armed carjackings a federal crime.Janet Novack
carjack transitive verb
carjacked; carjacking; carjacks
Several weeks after the shooting, a woman my age was carjacked there. 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

Examples of carjacking in a Sentence

The police are investigating another carjacking.
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.
Four juveniles have been arrested in connection with a carjacking that occurred early Tuesday morning in West Baltimore, police announced. Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2025 At least two people were shot during a possible carjacking in Miramar at an Aldi supermarket plaza Saturday afternoon, according to police. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 31 May 2025 Two juvenile boys were arrested and charged with murder this week after allegedly fatally shooting a man during a carjacking in Texas. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 13 May 2025 According to Devlin’s report, Shoemaker-Gonzalez stole the man’s Toyota RAV4 and headed toward Bristol where police were told to be on the lookout around 12:20 p.m. for a vehicle taken during a carjacking involving a suspect armed with a knife. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for carjacking

Word History

Etymology

car + (hi)jack + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carjacking was in 1991

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Cite this Entry

“Carjacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carjacking. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

carjacking

noun
car·​jack·​ing ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ How to pronounce carjacking (audio)
: theft by force or intimidation of an auto that has a driver or passenger present

More from Merriam-Webster on carjacking

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