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
Relevance
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
But the Fever staff were clearly elated to be able to nab Johnson off the board.
—
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
With Bailey still available, multiple teams seem likely to try to move up the board to nab him.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026
Purchase as a two-piece wicker patio furniture set, nab a few to place around a firepit, or fill out your outdoor space with a coordinating sofa or love seat and a contrasting acacia wood or teak coffee table.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
The Wu-Tang Clan and Vandross nabbed their inductions the first year they were nominated.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nab
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
With Bailey still available, multiple teams seem likely to try to move up the board to nab him.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026
Purchase as a two-piece wicker patio furniture set, nab a few to place around a firepit, or fill out your outdoor space with a coordinating sofa or love seat and a contrasting acacia wood or teak coffee table.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
The Wu-Tang Clan and Vandross nabbed their inductions the first year they were nominated.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nab
Verb
-
Officers arrived shortly after and tried to arrest him, but the suspect sped away, with the convertible's roof partially up, nearly losing control of the car after driving over a sidewalk.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Roberts-Smith, 47, was arrested on April 7 and charged with five counts of war crime murder involving the deaths of five Afghans in Uruzgan province in 2009 and 2012.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At one point, one of his attackers grab’s Pierre’s hoodie and throws him to the ground.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The cat lunged, grabbed Bender’s arm, and just as quickly, the hunter shook it off, and the animal bolted.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shaw says a firearm that was believed to have been used was seized.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The laws, which her party backed in recent years, eliminated preliminary detention in certain cases and raised the threshold for seizing criminal assets.—
Franklin Briceño,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The goal is speed and dominance, but also restraint, especially when dealing with civilian mariners who may be caught in the middle of a military operation.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Just last week, Lakers coach JJ Redick was openly critical of Ayton’s pass-catching abilities after the team dropped a third consecutive game in their late-season stretch without Doncic and Austin Reaves due to their respective Grade 2 strains.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Varela was apprehended late Tuesday in the former British colony and taken to San Francisco on Wednesday, where he's expected to appear before a judge Thursday, Virginia officials said.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Varela was apprehended after recently being seen in Hong Kong, WTKR reported.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jurors in Tanner Horner's murder trial viewed photos of his FedEx truck, the grim vessel prosecutors say was used to snatch 7-year-old Athena Strand from her own driveway and end her life.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
However, at this pace, the former first rounder may very well snatch that top spot on the namesake marquee.—
John Laghezza,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
David has only been detained under suspicion.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The district attorney’s office asked that he be detained without bail, while Morris requested his immediate release.—
Bay City News Service,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nab. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
