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
In November 2022, Northington conspired with two other Baltimore men — Devin Grimes, 27, and John Hyman, 21 — to commit armed robberies at at least one armed carjacking, according to court documents.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Tyler Allen Gress, 33, was fatally shot by deputies after a chase that began with a carjacking in Citrus Heights and followed with a tense pursuit through northern Sacramento County, and onto Sacramento International Airport property before its end near a Natomas freeway offramp.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Cooper was also charged with first-degree felony murder, conspiracy, armed carjacking, and armed robbery.
—Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
The plot to murder Stanifer, according to prosecutors, was hatched as part of a robbery and carjacking, and led to a series of shocking decisions.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carjacking
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Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Tyler Allen Gress, 33, was fatally shot by deputies after a chase that began with a carjacking in Citrus Heights and followed with a tense pursuit through northern Sacramento County, and onto Sacramento International Airport property before its end near a Natomas freeway offramp.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Cooper was also charged with first-degree felony murder, conspiracy, armed carjacking, and armed robbery.
—Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
The plot to murder Stanifer, according to prosecutors, was hatched as part of a robbery and carjacking, and led to a series of shocking decisions.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 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 23 Apr. 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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