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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of mugging
Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
That was the only way to see countries' delegations backflipping and mean-mugging from places like Cortina and Livigno, sort of alternating with the parade in Milan.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
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
Along the way, his maestro offers plenty of comic mugging.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
There’s a scene in which Frank meets his own idol, an alt-world version of Fred Astaire (played by Gyllenhaal’s brother Jake, who is good at mugging and singing), and vomits his fandom at him until the actor recoils.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
An immigrant delivery man bashed unconscious during a botched four-on-one Manhattan mugging died of his injuries months later, cops said Sunday.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
That was the only way to see countries' delegations backflipping and mean-mugging from places like Cortina and Livigno, sort of alternating with the parade in Milan.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
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
Along the way, his maestro offers plenty of comic mugging.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
Denver’s 33-year-old shooting guard reveled in the moment, mean-mugging his way to the huddle.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
There’s a scene in which Frank meets his own idol, an alt-world version of Fred Astaire (played by Gyllenhaal’s brother Jake, who is good at mugging and singing), and vomits his fandom at him until the actor recoils.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mugging
Noun
-
Alex, Freeman and Jones face multiple charges including engaging in organized criminal activity, burglary of vehicles and burglary of buildings, according to online jail records.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Adva Lavie, 28, is charged with two counts of grand theft; one count of first-degree residential burglary with person present and one count of first-degree residential burglary.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ref Bankes initially ignored the wide-eyed protests of several Chelsea players to flash only his yellow card as Garnacho writhed, grimacing on the floor and clutching his left leg.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Fully aware of how costly the mistake was, Glenn couldn’t hide her disappointment immediately after hitting her final pose, grimacing and trying to hold back her emotions.—
Alice Park,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His film tells the story of a man named Irakli (played by the director’s father, David) in search of his daughter, who disappeared while photographing rural football fields in Georgia.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Eppie’s enthusiasm for photographing cars is especially evident in his work.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hoover died a year after the break-in, and the case was closed on March 11, 1976 without any conclusions about who was responsible.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
-
During the April break-in, Brent said that Austin Lanz smashed through the back door with a sledgehammer, opened their blinds, and rummaged through their bed.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Who could forget a picture, which graced the cover of Artforum more than a decade ago, of an uncannily adult baby staring sagaciously into the lens, its hand placed gingerly over its heart in a gesture that looks like reverence?—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Police said security footage from the store shows customers staring and retreating before 53-year-old Tammy Canut of North Huntingdon walks into the frame naked.—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The holdup on arresting Tyson is that the public defender originally assigned to Tyson also represents Jones.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The charges reportedly stem from Fontenette’s role in a violent robbery and assault of a Bulldog Express convenience store clerk in Nederland in October 2025, in which Fontenette and two others used a firearm to carry out the holdup.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mugging. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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