nab

verb

ˈnab 

nabbed; nabbing

transitive verb

1

: to catch or seize in arrest : apprehend

2

: to seize suddenly

Synonyms of nab

• arrest
• seize
• grab
• apprehend
• detain

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

Loukeman, who mixed the record and nabs a couple co-production credits, proves a real asset to getting this across. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026

Judging by his recent Instagram post, Reynolds appears to have nabbed one of the Ouréa Souscriptions (or Subscriptions). — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2026

In addition to her 1988 Oscar win, Cher was nominated for best actress in a supporting role for the 1983 nuclear whistleblower drama Silkwood and nabbed Golden Globe best actress wins for Moonstruck and Silkwood. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2026

The show nabbed headlines recently with reports that Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was eyeing a role in the series. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps alteration of English dialect nap

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nab

• ab
• cab
• crab
• dab
• drab
• fab
• gab
• grab
• jab
• lab
• mab
• rab

Kids Definition

nab

verb

ˈnab 

nabbed; nabbing

1

: to seize and take into custody : arrest

2

: to seize suddenly

especially : steal entry 1 sense 2a