1
as in grimacing
to distort one's face
every time their picture was snapped, both children mugged by sticking out their tongues or scrunching up their faces
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in photographing
to take a photograph of
mugging captured criminals for the police records
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mugging
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
The mugging of his early selfies has vanished.
—David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025
This lawyer-mugging could go without any response today.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
It’s been a strenuous 18-year fall from grace since Susan Sarandon handed the magnificent disaster his Golden Globe, his longtime buddy Bruce Springsteen mugging with glee as a standing ovation crowd cheered him on.
—Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 22 Jan. 2026
When humpbacks draw near to the boat to investigate the vessel with curiosity, this is called mugging, according to the owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Diesel says to the camera, mugging behind his trademark dark shades.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 24 Nov. 2025
Has Trump seen the album cover of To Pimp A Butterfly with Kendrick Lamar and his shirtless homies mean mugging on the White House lawn while a dead judge lies at their feet?
—Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
No amount of mugging before the cameras in Tianjin could mask the comedown this represents.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
Smith also appeared in several of the duo’s music videos, which teased his future SNL face-mugging persona.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Curtis, who worked for years to get a sequel green-lit, is clearly having the time of her life, mugging for the camera as inner-fashionista Lily, sporting a speech-inhibiting lip plumper, and taking a joy ride in a Camaro.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Staged to look like a random mugging of a courier, the robbery was, in fact, a sophisticated heist that would ultimately involve the Provisional IRA, the New York mafia and the Colombian cartel.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
The mugging of his early selfies has vanished.
—David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025
This lawyer-mugging could go without any response today.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
For most of the show, Bad Bunny had been mugging merrily to the camera, flaring his eyes and making hammy gestures to illustrate his words.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
It’s been a strenuous 18-year fall from grace since Susan Sarandon handed the magnificent disaster his Golden Globe, his longtime buddy Bruce Springsteen mugging with glee as a standing ovation crowd cheered him on.
—Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 22 Jan. 2026
When humpbacks draw near to the boat to investigate the vessel with curiosity, this is called mugging, according to the owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Diesel says to the camera, mugging behind his trademark dark shades.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 24 Nov. 2025
Has Trump seen the album cover of To Pimp A Butterfly with Kendrick Lamar and his shirtless homies mean mugging on the White House lawn while a dead judge lies at their feet?
—Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
No amount of mugging before the cameras in Tianjin could mask the comedown this represents.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
Smith also appeared in several of the duo’s music videos, which teased his future SNL face-mugging persona.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Curtis, who worked for years to get a sequel green-lit, is clearly having the time of her life, mugging for the camera as inner-fashionista Lily, sporting a speech-inhibiting lip plumper, and taking a joy ride in a Camaro.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mugging
Noun
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Mike lives a lonely life seemingly devoid of any interiority, working for an over-the-hill crime boss known as Money (Nick Nolte), whom Mike has managed to piss off with his less-than-spotless latest burglary.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Police arrested the man on suspicion of first-degree burglary and unlawful trespassing.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Poulin stayed down on the ice for a moment, grimacing, and eventually skated back to the bench, putting minimal weight on her right leg.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Jones’s Dragoool suggests a fusion of Oldman, Karloff’s Mummy and the Cryptkeeper, with shades of Klaus Kinski, Willem Dafoe, Heath Ledger and a grimacing carp.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After learning of the witness emails, Doyle expressed concern in court about Boyne photographing a document that had not been made part of the court record, and doing so in a place — the well of the courtroom — where photography is not permitted.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
16 Feb. 2026
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Once upon a time, American travelers flocked to the same handful of countries for their European vacations — taking the same costly flights from one country to the next, sitting on the same beaches, and photographing the same historical sites.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Prior to its designation as a terror group, Palestine Action was linked to a break-in at the Royal Air Force's Brize Norton air base in Oxfordshire, England, in June last year.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
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Judge Michael Sweet sentenced John Edward Blount, 51, to 301 years to life in prison for the robbery in the 2018 break-in, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday in a news release.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Jordan Stolz, sitting opposite of the finish line staring at a large video board, looked at his coach and nodded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Most of the crowd is talking quietly among themselves, oblivious to Trevor Yeakley’s gaze, except for two men staring daggers right back at him.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to McKay, five of the holdups involved a man armed with what appeared to be a firearm.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Even worse, disaster reimbursement delays, delayed housing repairs, and the holdup of infrastructure rebuilding have fueled anger in the communities that are hardest hit.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mugging. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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