1
as in arresting
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 grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
a pickpocket nabbed my wallet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nabbing
Spanberger pulled ahead among independent voters, nabbing 57% of support while her Republican challenger had 32%.
—
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
The brigade of heavily armed cops terrified the kids, causing Cooper to take stock of police tactics deployed in service of nabbing people who might be no more than casual pot smokers.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
In particular, video podcasts have soared in popularity on Google's YouTube, which is increasingly nabbing a bigger share of viewership.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Whereas Morvan and Pilatus were never the same afterward, Velez, 58, continued to carve out an impressive career in entertainment, nabbing acting gigs and top 10 songs.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
The Leafs wisely stayed on the hunt for more options in net throughout training camp and ultimately settled on making a waiver claim on the final day, nabbing 26-year-old Cayden Primeau from the Carolina Hurricanes, where he was set to be their third-stringer.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The Official Release Party of a Showgirl smoked its competition at the box office this weekend, nabbing gold at home and abroad.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
The original Peaky Blinders series culminated with season six in 2022, shortly before Murphy went on to star in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, nabbing an Academy Award.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Basically, nabbing a Webroot plan today is another no-brainer.
—Pcmag Brandx For Webroot, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
The brigade of heavily armed cops terrified the kids, causing Cooper to take stock of police tactics deployed in service of nabbing people who might be no more than casual pot smokers.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
In particular, video podcasts have soared in popularity on Google's YouTube, which is increasingly nabbing a bigger share of viewership.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Whereas Morvan and Pilatus were never the same afterward, Velez, 58, continued to carve out an impressive career in entertainment, nabbing acting gigs and top 10 songs.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
The Leafs wisely stayed on the hunt for more options in net throughout training camp and ultimately settled on making a waiver claim on the final day, nabbing 26-year-old Cayden Primeau from the Carolina Hurricanes, where he was set to be their third-stringer.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The Official Release Party of a Showgirl smoked its competition at the box office this weekend, nabbing gold at home and abroad.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
The original Peaky Blinders series culminated with season six in 2022, shortly before Murphy went on to star in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, nabbing an Academy Award.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Basically, nabbing a Webroot plan today is another no-brainer.
—Pcmag Brandx For Webroot, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabbing
Verb
-
Police arresting a pile of mac and cheese.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
-
As the first episode unfolds, Piest's mom's actions lead to police questioning Gacy and eventually arresting him just days after the teenager's disappearance.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
These are especially useful for taking public transport, grabbing a quick coffee, or leaving a small tip at a restaurant.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Peterson led the way, scoring 26 points — 24 before halftime — and grabbing four rebounds.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Fentanyl, which was responsible for the overwhelming majority of them, doesn’t come from Venezuela, and the Coast Guard has no record of seizing it in the Caribbean.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The purchase of the rifle was possible because IMPD and the Marion County prosecutors never filed a red flag petition with the court after seizing the shotgun.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Since posting, Watt’s video has gone viral, even catching the attention of the Live Like Maddie Foundation, which thanked her for capturing the magic and shared her clip to help promote next year’s event.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Filmmaking is catching inspiration on the wing.—
Susan Sontag,
Vogue,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Bands of masked men apprehending people in broad daylight in the streets and hauling them off.—
J. David McSwane,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The swift police response and use of video surveillance technology proved crucial in identifying and apprehending the shooter.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Diabate is relentless and has an uncanny knack for the ball, endearing himself to his teammates with his penchant for keeping the ball alive or snatching offense rebounds off the glass.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Established in 2017 as Fosun Fashion Group, the firm planted its flag in luxury fashion, snatching up its brands in a series of acquisitions and went public in a SPAC deal in December 2022 that raised more than $150 million.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ohtani went on to win the World Series with the Dodgers in his first season, capturing the National League MVP as well, without even pitching.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Every frame of the film feels intentional, capturing the river and forests of the Amazon with great attention to the light and sounds of the region.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabbing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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