nab

verb

ˈnab 

nabbed; nabbing

transitive verb

1

: to catch or seize in arrest : apprehend

2

: to seize suddenly

Synonyms

• 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

The Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, a 4,000-acre retreat in the Austin countryside, nabbed the No. 4 spot with a long list of amenities, including four golf courses, eight restaurants, and a luxurious spa. —Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025

The outpacing of expectations indicates that Rebirth may end up nabbing a $145 million opening in the US. —Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025

Joe Mantello nabbed the win for best direction of a play while Denis O’Hare won best performance by a featured actor. —Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 5 July 2025

And the results presaged Democrats’ 2020 Peach State success, when Biden won the state — and the presidency — while the party nabbed both of Georgia’s Senate seats. —David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2025

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