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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mugging
Noun
-
He has been charged with felony first degree burglary, felony breaking and entering with intent to terrorize, and misdemeanor first degree trespass, police said.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Investigation leads to arrest During the investigation, police recalled an old burglary case at a downtown hotel where the description matched the one for the current suspect, according to charging documents.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
The office’s investigators will go to the scene of a death or a hospital, and begin observing and photographing the area and the body.—
Shannon Tyler
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The lens delivers clean bokeh with few distracting elements and no hint of false color, even when photographing subjects against complex backgrounds that include foliage, tree branches, and other potentially distracting elements.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Air Force veteran had left the White House to become administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration when Senate committee staffers privately questioned him on July 13, 1973, during their investigation of the Watergate break-in.—
Douglass K. Daniel,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Thompson kept the Caps in it with a couple of good saves after that, the best being on a partial break-in by Arvidsson, whose backhander could not find its way through the five-hole.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Saxon sat at the plaintiff’s table, staring at a screen with no expression.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
-
After eight hours at work, staring at spreadsheets and sitting through meetings that should've been emails, my brain needs a complete reset.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The switch caused a brief holdup, but the deal was agreed upon on Saturday afternoon.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Feb. 2026
-
With holdups at home, investors are exploring buildouts abroad, including in the energy-rich Gulf states.—
Jared Cohen,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mugging. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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