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
In a reflection of its growing Hollywood clout, YouTube last year inked a deal for exclusive global rights to the Oscars awards ceremony beginning in 2029 and running through 2033, nabbing the media rights from Disney’s ABC.
—
Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
More targets for Jackson arrived Saturday, with DeCosta nabbing another bigger receiver (Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt) in the fourth round and adding tight ends (SMU’s Matthew Hibner and Alabama’s Josh Cuevas) in the fourth and fifth rounds, respectively.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
On Friday, April 24, the Illinois Lottery announced in a press release that a DuPage County resident, who hasn't been named, was the latest winner after purchasing a Millionaire Club Instant Ticket, nabbing the $1 million prize fund.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
For the first time in club history, the Rapids did not lose at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night, finally nabbing a point in the team’s 10th-ever trip to face the Black and Gold.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
Swalwell was seen as a likely frontrunner in the California gubernatorial primary, nabbing a number of prominent union organizations’ endorsements ahead of the revelations.
—Jonathan Carter, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2026
That flexibility would be extra useful this offseason, with two teams nabbing players in the expansion draft and most veterans hitting some form of free agency following the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Widening our view to the moon’s more recent epochs requires nabbing more youthful material from the surface.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026
Spiders are among Earth’s most resourceful predators, nabbing prey by any means necessary.
—Matthew Cordes, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
More targets for Jackson arrived Saturday, with DeCosta nabbing another bigger receiver (Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt) in the fourth round and adding tight ends (SMU’s Matthew Hibner and Alabama’s Josh Cuevas) in the fourth and fifth rounds, respectively.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
On Friday, April 24, the Illinois Lottery announced in a press release that a DuPage County resident, who hasn't been named, was the latest winner after purchasing a Millionaire Club Instant Ticket, nabbing the $1 million prize fund.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
For the first time in club history, the Rapids did not lose at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night, finally nabbing a point in the team’s 10th-ever trip to face the Black and Gold.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
Swalwell was seen as a likely frontrunner in the California gubernatorial primary, nabbing a number of prominent union organizations’ endorsements ahead of the revelations.
—Jonathan Carter, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2026
That flexibility would be extra useful this offseason, with two teams nabbing players in the expansion draft and most veterans hitting some form of free agency following the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Widening our view to the moon’s more recent epochs requires nabbing more youthful material from the surface.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026
Spiders are among Earth’s most resourceful predators, nabbing prey by any means necessary.
—Matthew Cordes, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabbing
Verb
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After arresting the man, the complaint says police found a black iPhone tucked between the driver's seat and the center console in his car.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
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The movie fumbles the chance to do something arresting with this seminal period in art.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The driver who picked up the goods told FT that grabbing items in the location takes roughly five minutes, while the same trip to a Walmart Supercenter store could take 25 minutes.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
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The Limitless Lash Mascara is especially worth grabbing while it’s marked down.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The laws, which her party backed in recent years, eliminated preliminary detention in certain cases and raised the threshold for seizing criminal assets.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 May 2026
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Hollander plays a vicious Irish mobster hell bent on seizing the palatial estate Reno has dedicated his life to protect after its heir runs afoul of his compatriots abroad.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Abdoler echoed that, noting there is a much higher risk of catching other kinds of viruses, like influenza, while sailing.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Investigators worked to find and bring Austin into custody, catching a break by digging into his social media accounts.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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In the video shared exclusively with Fox News by ICE, officers are seen apprehending and arresting the Honduran national.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Danamarie McNicholl,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 compelled authorities in northern free states to assist in apprehending and returning those who escaped back to slavery.—
Jeremy Mennis,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The Unit was responsible for snatching former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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The video game company generated buzz in 2021 after retail investors, mobilizing on Reddit, started snatching up GameStop shares, driving it up more than 2,000%.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Through a combination of archival footage, interviews with surviving contemporaries, and many, many photos, the film attempts to get to the bottom of Avedon’s distinct knack for capturing celebrities at their very best.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
17 May 2026
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The docuseries, which Scolari is directing, has begun filming, including at the Cannes Film Festival where the production is capturing a reunion between princess Yassmin and her cousin Cyrus Pahlavi.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabbing. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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