nabbed; nabbing
Synonyms of nabnext

transitive verb

1
: to catch or seize in arrest : apprehend
2
: to seize suddenly

Examples of nab in a Sentence

We nabbed seats in the front row of the theater. the officer nabbed the purse snatcher before he could escape
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.
Her win made history, as the oldest skier to nab a World Cup. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025 Continue reading … CRAZY CAPTURE – Hungry alligator nabbed outside 7-Eleven. FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025 As if all of that wasn't enough, her fourth studio album, Escape Room, which was released in August, recently nabbed a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album. Chase Infiniti, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025 The question now is who among soccer’s legion of fans — some 650,000 are expected — will nab a room in Kansas City as hotels are filling up. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nab

Word History

Etymology

perhaps alteration of English dialect nap

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nab was in 1686

Cite this Entry

“Nab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nab. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

nab

verb
nabbed; nabbing
1
: to seize and take into custody : arrest
2
: to seize suddenly
especially : steal entry 1 sense 2a

More from Merriam-Webster on nab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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