nabbing

verb

present participle of nab
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

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 nabbing Becker, who has a propensity for nabbing jump balls, played a key role in the Hoosiers' title run, including his six-catch, 126-yard performance against Ohio State last December. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 After nabbing a minority stake in Puma earlier this year, Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group is investing in another troubled sportswear company. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 Once word gets out, nabbing center-orchestra seats (already going for over $300 apiece at press time) might feel like a minor miracle. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026 Fatih Akin is no stranger to the festival circuit, having wowed Berlin with his Golden Bear-winning Head-On in 2004 and nabbing best screenplay in Cannes for The Edge of Heaven in 2007. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026 Boots was right, and the Eyes Wide Shut vibes prompt the team to make an exit (after nabbing some Champagne bottles). — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026 After successfully nabbing a role in Brokeback Mountain, Hathaway dropped out of NYU. — Alyssa Modos, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026 But these ventures are tiny compared to the ranchlands, timberlands, and cropfields many one-percenters are nabbing. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 The Silence of the Lambs is probably the most successful thriller in Oscar history, nabbing awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabbing
  1. arresting
  2. grabbing
  3. seizing
  4. catching
  5. apprehending
  6. snatching
  7. capturing
Verb
  • Spotting symptoms early is a key factor in treating victims and in arresting the spread of this extremely contagious disease, according to health experts.
    — Michelle A. Williams, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Sacramento police have also received criticism for arresting protesters in recent months, including the detainment two protesters in September that was recorded on video.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of arresting
Verb
  • San Martin was also tasked with grabbing the cash tray, which contained $17,000.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The question of how law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services will be affected by these potential tax cuts have fueled headline-grabbing debates across the state.
    — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • Banks in New York are seizing the opportunity to offer a solution that could shield Chinese customers from their country's tax man.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Even rarer is a series seizing on the opportunity to make a quantum leap several years into its run.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of seizing
Verb
  • Peltola is a gun-owning, fish-catching Alaska-bush native, who has worked for mines and supports oil drilling, and is allied with the state’s largest labor unions.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But for audiences outside North America, catching Nathan Fielder’s three-hour documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes — now expected to be a major player in awards season — has become a frustrating waiting game.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of catching
Verb
  • Only instead of just peacefully apprehending opponents, Doncic’s super-competitive alter ego wants to smash them all under an array of increasingly rude step-back jumpers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The film cuts between Murray cautiously opening the suspicious package and FBI agents apprehending Kaczynski decades later.
    — Jane LaCroix, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of apprehending
Verb
  • This tour represents Brooks’ latest effort to push back against music industry headwinds — specifically, spiraling ticket prices and bots or brokers snatching up prime tickets during onsales before fans have access.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Running around snatching pythons out of the jungle isn't my idea of fun, but someone has to do it.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of snatching
Verb
  • Developed by engineers at the University of Pennsylvania, the system, called Fast Feature Field (F³), processes information from event cameras, which detect changes in light rather than capturing conventional images.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The latest season, currently being aired, depicts a fictional Chinese intelligence agency capturing and torturing some of the Japanese spies.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of capturing

Browse Nearby Words

nabbed
nabbing
nabe
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Cite this Entry

“Nabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabbing. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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