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
Agents said Macias and Husein attempted a carjacking at gunpoint at a Sacramento car dealership.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Authorities said that Macias aided Husien in the carjacking at the auto dealership where the two-hour crime spree began; he is not accused of taking part in the gun battle that ended in Husien’s death near the intersection of Notre Dame Avenue and West Julian Street.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The change is made to address an increase in carjackings.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Llorrens was previously sentenced in federal court in March 2017 to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release for committing multiple carjackings and armed robberies, according to court records.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
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Tim Fang, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Authorities said that Macias aided Husien in the carjacking at the auto dealership where the two-hour crime spree began; he is not accused of taking part in the gun battle that ended in Husien’s death near the intersection of Notre Dame Avenue and West Julian Street.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The change is made to address an increase in carjackings.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Llorrens was previously sentenced in federal court in March 2017 to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release for committing multiple carjackings and armed robberies, according to court records.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 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 2 Feb. 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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