caught in the act
idiom
: caught while doing something specified
He tried to rob a bank and was caught in the act.
Examples of caught in the act in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Though such orbits have been theorized and planet-forming discs in polar alignment have been spotted, no planet had ever been caught in the act—until now.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
About 13 years ago, a similar heist was foiled when the culprits were caught in the act, the owner said.
LAPD investigators say the recent burglars, after entering, cut the security camera feed, and there are no images of them inside the business.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Management is defending itself and the thief caught in the act while punishing the victim.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
According to a new paper published in the Journal of Ethology, California ground squirrels have been caught in the act—many times over—of chasing, killing, and eating voles.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for caught in the act
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
About 13 years ago, a similar heist was foiled when the culprits were caught in the act, the owner said.
LAPD investigators say the recent burglars, after entering, cut the security camera feed, and there are no images of them inside the business.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Management is defending itself and the thief caught in the act while punishing the victim.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
According to a new paper published in the Journal of Ethology, California ground squirrels have been caught in the act—many times over—of chasing, killing, and eating voles.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for caught in the act
Cite this Entry
“Caught in the act.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caught%20in%20the%20act. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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