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nab

verb

ˈnab How to pronounce nab (audio)
Definition of nabnext
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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nab Finally, nab 38% off the Roku Streaming Stick 4K with Dolby Vision, making sharp streaming portable and snappy for under $50. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 The Chiefs’ defense nabbed a pick on the first series and allowed only 10 points. — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026 And there’s been growing and growing anxiety about being one of the lucky few who can nab a good job. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026 Luminous Silk Concealer debuted in 2020 and promptly won an Allure Best of Beauty Award (then nabbed another one in 2025). — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nab
  1. arrest
  2. grab
  3. seize
  4. catch
  5. apprehend
  6. snatch
  7. detain
Verb
  • An 18-year-old woman was bound and raped by a man inside his Queens apartment more than a year ago, and a suspect has now been arrested, police and law enforcement sources said Friday.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The driver, identified as 54-year-old Robert Delorenzo of Stratford, was arrested and charged with reckless driving, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and failure to stop on the right side of the road.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of arrest
Verb
  • Over the course of Next Gen NYC’s season, which ended this past week, the model Ava Dash grabs a slice of pizza on Fulton Street; strolls through the Seaport; and calls her father, the hip-hop mogul Damon Dash, from a bench at Pier 17.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Stop in today to bid farewell and grab one last fresh burger, hand cut fries and premium ice cream sundae.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • The charges stemmed from fighting more than a decade ago between the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels who seized power from then-President François Bozizé, and a mainly Christian militia called the anti-Balaka.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Confession has also been a way for artists to seize authority from systems that preferred them silent, decorative, or safely explained.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of seize
Verb
  • Tuffy’s Corner, named for a local undertaker, is a frequent accident site, and Harley Corner is a reducing-radius turn that sometimes catches motorcyclists off guard.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The rookie tight end caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in his first career start Sunday, even as the Lions beat the Jets, 31-24, after Geno Smith fumbled with seconds remaining.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of catch
Verb
  • The officer fell to the ground and immediately got up and worked to apprehend the suspects, according to police and video of the incident released by police.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Police apprehended Steen shortly after the murder, weaving erratically on a bicycle with Frost’s blood on his clothes.
    — Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of apprehend
Verb
  • That couple could snatch either another neutron to make tritium, or another proton to make helium-3.
    — Cara Giovanetti, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
  • A number of people told me that villagers had used the money to snatch up real estate in Metetí and Panama City.
    — Belén Fernández, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of snatch
Verb
  • Terrones looked on at the black casket holding her youngest boy, the goofball who loved his family, the one who had longed for her support while she was detained.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The 18-year -old is one of thousands of people who have been in prolonged detention after being detained by federal immigration authorities, ABC News has reported.
    — Rebecca Gelpi-Ufret, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of detain

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Cite this Entry

“Nab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nab. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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