nobble

verb

ˈnä-bəl How to pronounce nobble (audio)
Definition of nobblenext
British slang
1
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats an old scam that's been used for years to nobble unsuspecting London tourists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly a London bobby nobbled the pickpocket just as he was about to make off with the tourist's watch

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 nobble Poland’s ruling party has tried to nobble the courts and the civil service. — The Economist, 31 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nobble
  1. cheat
  2. grab
  3. squeeze
  4. catch
  5. pluck
  6. snatch
  7. sting
  8. seize
Verb
  • Not to be cheated in front of the largest assembly of Hall of Famers since the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, Schwarber flew out twice to deep center field.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Princeton University dropped its over century-old Honor Code tradition which let students take their exams without supervision, after an AI cheating scandal rattled the Ivy League institution.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheat
Verb
  • After grabbing an early 83-81 lead in overtime, the Dream gave up eight straight points to the Fever, who never lost the lead in overtime again, although the Dream got within two points, 93-91, with 10 seconds left.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The little breaths, the cloth grabs and punches were all deliberate.
    — Simon Thompson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Questions no longer centre on marking this era with a trophy, but on how much juice is left to squeeze.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • To protect a specific area, such as a garden, Parker recommends properly installing snake fencing made from quarter-inch hardware cloth, which can help keep even newborn copperheads from squeezing through.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Ba's novels explored women caught between traditional upbringing and modern aspirations, criticizing polygamy, widespread in the country, and patriarchy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Presently, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer that is caught early is over 99%, which is why Andrea says women who find a lump shouldn't wait to get screened.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of catch
Verb
  • The streamer has found its leading lady for the biopic, plucking an unknown first-timer to play the sertanejo icon.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Just walk out the back door, pluck a warm peach off the tree, and try to think of a more quintessentially summer experience.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • The thieves then snatched the paintings and fled through the museum’s gardens—the whole heist took place in under three minutes.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The second was produced by Jahdae Barron, who alertly snatched a ball out of the air that had been tipped by linebacker Karene Reid and then raced 97 yards for a touchdown.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of snatch
Verb
  • Several clubs have been stung by excessive ventures into external markets in recent years, most notably Tottenham in Italy and Manchester United’s mistakes in the Dutch league under Erik ten Hag.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Battered fish and salt-and-vinegar-seasoned chips have been a staple for hundreds of years, best paired with stinging seaside winds and spray.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of sting
Verb
  • The next season Keegan was joint top scorer as Liverpool were champions of England for the first time in seven years and also seized the club’s historic first European trophy.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Internet sleuths, predictably, have seized on this ambiguity as proof of malfeasance.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of seize

Browse Nearby Words

nob
nobble
nobbled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nobble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nobble. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All