as in grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
the brazen seagull snatched the french fry right from my hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of snatching
CNN Money, 13 Jan. 2026
Polls show that Londoners broadly feel safe in their town, although property theft, particularly phone snatching and shoplifting, has leapt up in recent years.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Reactions from Moscow and Beijing to Maduro’s snatching have varied.
—Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
Manipulation, threats, acts of physical and psychological violence (to oneself and others), as well as actual body snatching, were all part of Cipher’s brand while Linklater embodied Gen V’s season two big bad.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
While millions are riveted by Sunday’s seven-minute jewelry heist of Napoleonic jewels at the Louvre, another major sizable snatching, the 1990 break-in at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, resurfaced in the news in a different way.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
But the chick-snatching wasn't all terror and crib robbery, Parker stressed.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2025
Tara Ramanathan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Switching between modes is as easy as pressing a button, but testers say MC Mode is the real standout for its jaw-snatching results.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 22 Mar. 2026
Sixth District Commissioner Donna Miller was in the latter group, successfully snatching the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
PlayMonster Spoons in a Case What better way to spend time together as a family or with loved ones on Easter than viciously snatching utensils from one another in a heated game of 'Spoons'?
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026
The Reviews Are In Reese’s Marshmallow is now available in stores nationwide, and fans of the brand have already been snatching up the treat to give it a taste for themselves—and share their reviews.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
Lots of us can remember George Graham’s Arsenal snatching the league from Liverpool in 1989 and the epic, almost indescribable drama of Michael Thomas scoring the decisive goal with virtually the last kick of the season.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Experience the depuffing, face-snatching effects with this Sacheu option that’s currently on sale.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
The previous epic adventures entail the unexpected evolutions and missteps of humans terraforming beyond Earth, from massive sentient spiders named after Shakespearean characters to a body-snatching Nodal entity.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
Many Londoners have firsthand experience of phone-snatching or have witnessed the surge in shoplifting documented by the Office for National Statistics.
—CNN Money, 13 Jan. 2026
Polls show that Londoners broadly feel safe in their town, although property theft, particularly phone snatching and shoplifting, has leapt up in recent years.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Reactions from Moscow and Beijing to Maduro’s snatching have varied.
—Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
Manipulation, threats, acts of physical and psychological violence (to oneself and others), as well as actual body snatching, were all part of Cipher’s brand while Linklater embodied Gen V’s season two big bad.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
While millions are riveted by Sunday’s seven-minute jewelry heist of Napoleonic jewels at the Louvre, another major sizable snatching, the 1990 break-in at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, resurfaced in the news in a different way.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
But the chick-snatching wasn't all terror and crib robbery, Parker stressed.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
Some even resorted to body snatching in the name of education.
—Tara Ramanathan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Switching between modes is as easy as pressing a button, but testers say MC Mode is the real standout for its jaw-snatching results.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 22 Mar. 2026
Sixth District Commissioner Donna Miller was in the latter group, successfully snatching the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
PlayMonster Spoons in a Case What better way to spend time together as a family or with loved ones on Easter than viciously snatching utensils from one another in a heated game of 'Spoons'?
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026
The Reviews Are In Reese’s Marshmallow is now available in stores nationwide, and fans of the brand have already been snatching up the treat to give it a taste for themselves—and share their reviews.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
Lots of us can remember George Graham’s Arsenal snatching the league from Liverpool in 1989 and the epic, almost indescribable drama of Michael Thomas scoring the decisive goal with virtually the last kick of the season.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Experience the depuffing, face-snatching effects with this Sacheu option that’s currently on sale.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
The previous epic adventures entail the unexpected evolutions and missteps of humans terraforming beyond Earth, from massive sentient spiders named after Shakespearean characters to a body-snatching Nodal entity.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snatching
Noun
-
Petty crime, like pickpocketing and phone theft, is more common in Paris and can be easily avoided.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Samuel Nana Opoku, a resident of Fairfax County, Virginia, is facing charges of money laundering, felony theft by taking, five counts of identity fraud, and initiation of deceptive commercial email.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kyla Oldacre led Texas with 11 points off the bench while grabbing seven rebounds.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The victim listed in the police records later told police about two incidents of physical assault, including grabbing, scratching, shoving and striking, according to the documents.—
Meriam Bouarrouj,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Javier Sanoja lined a double over the head of left fielder Jake McCarthy, who missed making the grab by inches.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The only question now is the final tally of Donald’s victims, mostly civilians and children, when his Middle East power grab from indiscriminate carpet-bombing comes to an end.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For those who have the option, more are contemplating walking, cycling, carpooling or catching the bus or train to get some relief.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
That inspired some smirks from Boone and Tanner Swanson, the team’s director of catching.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Riverside County sheriff and GOP governor candidate draws heat for seizing 650,000 ballots from last November’s election, claiming possible fraud with little evidence.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Much speculation has been focused on US forces potentially seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snatching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snatching. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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