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
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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
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
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
Verb
This lawyer-mugging could go without any response today.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Verb
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Miller could be seen bending over and grimacing after the fateful pitch, in an obvious degree of pain.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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In the new logo, which the university said was designed in-house, the mascot's grimacing expression is the same, but his fists are down.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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That legacy is shaped through trust, especially when photographing artists like Wizkid, who are both global icons and notoriously private.—
Essence,
Essence,
2 Sep. 2025
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The audit found no proof of a conspiracy against Read but highlighted several procedural errors, including not photographing the victim’s body before it was moved, failing to secure the scene, and conducting witness interviews outside official premises.—
Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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His convictions in the county date back almost 40 years, starting with a burglary in 1986.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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In Simpson’s April 2023 indictment, prosecutors cited prior convictions for burglary, robbery and assault as reasons for their pursuing a sentencing enhancement.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Irish are 0-1 and staring at an idle weekend with plenty to work on after a 27-24 loss in Miami on the Sunday night of Week 1.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
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But after weeks of staring at bare ground, a few green shoots pushed through the dark silt.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Two weeks ago, authorities released CCTV footage from a break-in at a business in Piopio that was believed to show Tom and one of the children, per a police news release.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Emilie Schleer, a 37-year-old mother of two, spoke of the brazen break-in that occurred at her South End home in July, when a homeless woman squatted in her residence while her family was away for the weekend.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The slain suspect, Lahione Soto, is suspected in a string of nearby holdups in the minutes leading up to the shooting, police sources said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
18 Aug. 2025
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Nate wants to keep Polly safe, but that also means introducing her to the darker side of his world, teaching her how to defend herself and enlisting her aid in a convenience-store holdup.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mugging. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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