nobbling

verb

present participle of nobble, British slang
1
as in cheating
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

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2
as in grabbing
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nobbling
  1. cheating
  2. grabbing
  3. squeezing
  4. catching
  5. plucking
  6. snatching
  7. stinging
  8. seizing
Verb
  • The Model 3 and Model Y adopted less elaborate press-and-pivot handles, helping give the cars their clean, wind-cheating profiles.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The British-Argentine actor’s point has less to do with her conflicted con artist cheating death numerous times and besting her mobster in-laws, as well as the FBI.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • One of the more memorable instances finds Cole grabbing an open padlock off a door and using it to belt an opponent across the face before hooking the shackle into the dude’s mouth and using it to rip open his cheek.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But everything points to his being ready for Week 1, and Jones already didn’t run as much between the 10s last year, so a free ticket on a potential fringe-QB1 is worth grabbing.
    — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • That’s money competing directly against costs already squeezing this household.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The region is facing a housing shortage, with low stock and rising costs squeezing the market further.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • The Braves have Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy atop their catching depth chart, but a brutal injury setback involving veteran backstop Sandy Leon has now forced the organization to seek out another experienced option.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s also a similar pathology and high that comes from going deep undercover for the animal cops and eventually catching their prize, which might be Anson Wong, Michael Van Nostrand or Tommy Crutchfield.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of catching
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
  • Dramatic photos taken from the scene show a firefighter on a tower ladder plucking a panicked child from a fire escape.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of plucking
Verb
  • Lately Becker has been snatching up vintage Lalique pieces that, in this setting, have the frosty haze of sea glass.
    — Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Surveillance footage shows Ruis snatching the $275 bauble, which was attached to a $3,500 Alo Odyssey duffel bag, and wrapping it in a tissue before stuffing it into his pocket, according to a criminal complaint and law enforcement sources.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of snatching
Verb
  • 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
  • Beneath Lamb’s unkempt appearance, crude manners, noxious flatulence, and stinging remarks lies one of the sharpest minds in MI5 and a man fiercely protective of his brood of misfits.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of stinging
Verb
  • Options like seizing Iranian assets and sanctioning Iran’s trading partners, exchange houses, and Chinese banks all have potential downsides.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • For years, Hayward police have investigated Johnson as a suspect, seizing his phones, testing Hunter’s clothing for DNA, and interviewing witnesses, but just recently convinced prosecutors to file a case.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of seizing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

nobbles
nobbling
nobby
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Cite this Entry

“Nobbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nobbling. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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