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

… Congress made a show of getting tough on crime by making armed carjackings a federal crime.

—Janet Novack

carjack

ˈkär-ˌjak 

transitive verb

carjacked; carjacking; carjacks

Several weeks after the shooting, a woman my age was carjacked there.

—Susan Straight

carjacker

ˈkär-ˌja-kər 

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

Undersheriff Christopher Carothers told reporters that deputies responded to a carjacking in the area around 8 pm. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025

However, just nine days later, Smith confessed that there had been no carjacking. —Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025

He was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon in a multi-agency operation, authorities added. —Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025

At least eight other people also participated in the carjacking assault, according to Coristine. —David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

car + (hi)jack + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for carjacking

• attacking
• backpacking
• backtracking
• hijacking
• kayaking
• meatpacking
• ransacking
• repacking
• unpacking
• backing
• blacking
• clacking

Legal Definition

carjacking

noun

car·​jack·​ing ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ 

: theft by force or intimidation of an auto that has a driver or passenger present