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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of nabbing
The track also became the first K-Pop song to win a Grammy on Sunday after nabbing the award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The Giants, who needed credibility after their last four full-time hires flopped, made a textbook decision in nabbing Harbaugh.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
One of the most encouraging items among this year’s Sundance prize winners was Kosovar director Visar Morina’s Shame and Money nabbing the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic category.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Now, there’s a bit of rigmarole in getting that price, which includes (according to Google Translate) nabbing a time-specific coupon worth $286 and trading in your old phone.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The Yankees have already added two new relievers to the major league roster this offseason, claiming Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros and nabbing Cade Winquest from the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Ammatoli in Long Beach and Providence in Los Angeles (the latter nabbing three Michelin stars last year) were listed for Outstanding Hospitality, and Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program names included Caruso’s in Montecito and Kato in Los Angeles.
—Brock Keeling, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Still, its sales traction was slipping in its second full year on the market, nabbing 16,097 sales by the third quarter of 2025, down 38% from the year before.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
The first step is nabbing one of Middleton’s signature nail colors.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The Giants, who needed credibility after their last four full-time hires flopped, made a textbook decision in nabbing Harbaugh.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
One of the most encouraging items among this year’s Sundance prize winners was Kosovar director Visar Morina’s Shame and Money nabbing the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic category.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Now, there’s a bit of rigmarole in getting that price, which includes (according to Google Translate) nabbing a time-specific coupon worth $286 and trading in your old phone.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The Yankees have already added two new relievers to the major league roster this offseason, claiming Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros and nabbing Cade Winquest from the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Ammatoli in Long Beach and Providence in Los Angeles (the latter nabbing three Michelin stars last year) were listed for Outstanding Hospitality, and Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program names included Caruso’s in Montecito and Kato in Los Angeles.
—Brock Keeling, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Still, its sales traction was slipping in its second full year on the market, nabbing 16,097 sales by the third quarter of 2025, down 38% from the year before.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
The first step is nabbing one of Middleton’s signature nail colors.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabbing
Verb
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The White House has long blamed problems arresting criminal immigrants on places known as sanctuary jurisdictions, a term generally applied to state and local governments that limit law enforcement cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.—
Steve Karnowski,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Associated Press reports one of its photographers witnessed several federal agents arresting a car full of activists at gunpoint Tuesday morning in south Minneapolis.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Not every retailer is deploying AI in headline-grabbing ways, but many are intentionally building the foundations that make the technology viable.—
Peter Sadera,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
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Another handwashing no-no is touching the phone, then grabbing clean tongs without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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China is seizing an opportunity to challenge American dominance in global finance and exert greater international influence at the expense of the all-powerful US dollar.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Allegations include entering homes without warrants, stopping, intimidating and seizing legal observers, and detaining suspects by virtue of their appearance or accent.—
Yohuru Williams,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Routine screening is vital in catching latent TB, which can lie dormant in the body for decades.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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There are reports of Mavs big man Daniel Gafford or Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe also catching the eye of Toronto.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cellphone footage provided by the North Hills United Methodist Church showed armed agents who appeared to be performing an immigration enforcement operation chasing and eventually apprehending Chavez in the parking lot.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
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The federal statute authorizes law enforcement agencies to aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating, apprehending and detaining people in the country illegally.—
Richard Ruelas,
AZCentral.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Zayn winning in Montreal after eating an RKO and a Razor’s Edge, then snatching the pin on Priest with a Helluva Kick, gave you the biggest pop and the clearest storyline payoff of the night.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Masked agents snatching preschoolers off the street and sending them to Texas detention centers serves none of those purposes.—
Ryan Mancini,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Former Orlando guard Mac McClung, who signed a two-way contract with the Bulls this week, became the first three-peat winner of the dunk contest, capturing the title twice the past two years with the Magic and once with the Sixers.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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The song’s rumbling bass shook the room as the crowd went berserk and phones launched into the air, capturing the whole thing for the feeds where Esdeekid’s music, so far, has thrived.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabbing. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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