1
as in to arrest
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the officer nabbed the purse snatcher before he could escape
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
a pickpocket nabbed my wallet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of nab
The Rock nabs the win here after a back-and-forth battle that reeks of both men trying to prove their ultimate relevance in the WWE and the 30-minute match length goes by far more smoothly than in many similar cases.
—
Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
So, yeah, imagine his disappointment when the Bears nabbed Odunze with the No. 9 pick.
—Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025
The Business Centers and, as Chowhound points out, only four Costco Business Centers have a food court, so don’t go looking to nab one of the store’s famous hot dogs.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2025
One film that might nab the top prize is Thomas Percy Kim’s simple but sophisticated feature debut, an extension of his own award-winning short.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nab
Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
So, yeah, imagine his disappointment when the Bears nabbed Odunze with the No. 9 pick.
—Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025
The Business Centers and, as Chowhound points out, only four Costco Business Centers have a food court, so don’t go looking to nab one of the store’s famous hot dogs.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2025
One film that might nab the top prize is Thomas Percy Kim’s simple but sophisticated feature debut, an extension of his own award-winning short.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nab
Verb
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Seven other colleagues had been arrested in January 2024 but were later acquitted into house arrest or released under travel bans.—
One Free Press Coalition,
Time,
1 May 2025
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Accused of being gang members Millan was moved to Bluebonnet in mid-April from the Stewart detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia, where he had been held since he was arrested by immigration agents in the Atlanta suburbs on March 12, according to a senior Department of Homeland Security official.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Decker was walking and pushing his bike when Nelson grabbed his backpack and attempted to detain him.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
1 May 2025
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The game ended appropriately with Minnesota’s Naz Reid grabbing an offensive rebound off a Timberwolves missed free throw attempt and hugging the ball like Minnesota hugged this victory.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Fifty years ago this week Communist forces seized the city of Saigon bringing an end to the Vietnam war.—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
29 Apr. 2025
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Officials seized less than 50 pounds of fentanyl along the U.S. northern border in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the AP, citing U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) data.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Secure loose outdoor items and adjust plans as necessary so you're not caught outside.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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The double strain catches small bits of ginger and also lime pulp. Credits Recipe developed by Juliana Hale.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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At the time, he was apprehended by Border Patrol and turned over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) before being placed with a sponsor in Memphis.—
Greg Wehner , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2025
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Agents apprehended him in just a few minutes, parked his car off the road and drove away with him in a van.—
Stephanie Elam,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Before Amber could join her brother, according to one witness, a man in a black pick-up truck pulled into the parking lot, snatched Amber off her bicycle and took off.—
Emily Krauser,
People.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Then there is, in Walker’s view, the holy grail of art crime: The 13 works, including paintings by Rembrandt, Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas, snatched from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in a notorious 1990 heist.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While Carlos wasn’t detained, day worker advocates say operations like the one in Pomona have long-lasting impacts on those who are apprehended, as well as their families and communities.—
Stephanie Elam,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
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Kyle Petersen has pleaded guilty and is detained while awaiting sentencing.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nab. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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