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
Relevance
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
That reaction spilled over to Bailey’s Wicked castmates, who appeared in a video on the film’s social media accounts celebrating their Fiyero nabbing the coveted title.
—
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2025
From a channel perspective, pure-play e-commerce platforms are nabbing share across price points, though some of those can be a slippery slope for brands.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
While working a day job at the National Security Agency after college, Sykes spent nights and weekends telling jokes, eventually nabbing a gig opening for Chris Rock.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2025
From a channel perspective, pure-play e-commerce platforms are nabbing share across price points, though some of those can be a slippery slope for brands.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
While working a day job at the National Security Agency after college, Sykes spent nights and weekends telling jokes, eventually nabbing a gig opening for Chris Rock.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabbing
Verb
-
Start with one of Alexandra Llewellyn’s exquisite, handmade board games, which turns chess or backgammon into a feast for the eyes, so tactile and arresting, tempting you to play just one more game.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The video shows immigration agents arresting a man later identified as Dennis Quiñonez, as people shout that there is a child in the back of the car.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The 5-11 200-pound standout has accumulated mind-boggling stats through nine games -- 1,098 rushing yards and 17 TDs while grabbing a team-leading 42 passes for 974 yards and 18 scores.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Nikola Jokic put up 26 points on 12 of 15 shooting, while also dishing out nine assists and grabbing nine rebounds.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Monday’s agreement stems from the August 2023 search of the Marion County Record, as well as the home of the paper’s publisher and a councilwoman, seizing reporters’ cell phones and computers, among other items.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Since seizing power, the Burmese military has waged an unrelenting campaign of terror.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Chasing young shoppers has long been job number one in fashion — but actually catching them has never been so hard.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Marion had the breakout game, catching all three of his targets for 116 yards and a 61-yard touchdown.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 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
-
Keep going and the path climbs to the top of the arch, a high perch with breath-snatching panoramas.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Shea Moisture Define & Shine Edge Gel slicks my edges back without snatching them to hell.—
Kayla Greaves,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The odds are stacked against independent and specialty films capturing audience attention.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
-
In 2021, after homing in on wet processing as a major hot spot, Kering purchased the first 15 of PlanetCare’s commercial microfiber filters, capable of capturing 90 percent of shed strands, to install in several knitwear facilities in Italy.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabbing. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share