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
Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Guards shouting orders and snatching toys from small hands.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Howie Kendrick, the former longtime big leaguer and now a Phillies special assistant, attempted to be a peacemaker by snatching the beer.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
That's when Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted a short pass near the goal line, snatching the victory from Seattle.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Zayn winning in Montreal after eating an RKO and a Razor’s Edge, then snatching the pin on Priest with a Helluva Kick, gave you the biggest pop and the clearest storyline payoff of the night.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Masked agents snatching preschoolers off the street and sending them to Texas detention centers serves none of those purposes.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 22 Jan. 2026
The event will also include a Dolly look-alike contest, a baking contest using Dolly Parton’s Baking Mixes, complimentary chair massages, a nail pop-up bar and a wig-snatching competition.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 16 Jan. 2026
But aesthetic treatments that sharpen the contours of the face—snatching the jaw, inflating the lips—to give them more contrast in photos, can reduce and distort expression.
—Valerie Monroe, Allure, 15 Jan. 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
Alongside Palasciano, speakers assailed the influx of Indian Americans, from accusing them of snatching the American Dream to criticizing their driving skills and even blaming them for traffic.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Guards shouting orders and snatching toys from small hands.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Howie Kendrick, the former longtime big leaguer and now a Phillies special assistant, attempted to be a peacemaker by snatching the beer.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
That's when Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted a short pass near the goal line, snatching the victory from Seattle.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Zayn winning in Montreal after eating an RKO and a Razor’s Edge, then snatching the pin on Priest with a Helluva Kick, gave you the biggest pop and the clearest storyline payoff of the night.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Masked agents snatching preschoolers off the street and sending them to Texas detention centers serves none of those purposes.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 22 Jan. 2026
The event will also include a Dolly look-alike contest, a baking contest using Dolly Parton’s Baking Mixes, complimentary chair massages, a nail pop-up bar and a wig-snatching competition.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 16 Jan. 2026
But aesthetic treatments that sharpen the contours of the face—snatching the jaw, inflating the lips—to give them more contrast in photos, can reduce and distort expression.
—Valerie Monroe, Allure, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snatching
Noun
-
The Bureau of Engineering selected Tetra Tech, a global engineering firm, to fortify and relight the stretch of road that connects downtown Los Angeles to Boyle Heights, which has essentially gone dark due to the amount of copper theft plaguing the area.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Auborn pleaded guilty in December to four counts of murder, one count of felonious assault and one count of theft.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Within a few blocks of the hotel are also many spots worthy of grabbing a tasty bite or a drink—Bamboo Sushi, Radio Room, and Walter French's, to name a few.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
What’s particularly exciting is how many films are grabbing dates in ’27 and ’28.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Accessibility Public areas and guest elevators are wheelchair-accessible, and several rooms include step-free showers and grab bars.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
If Ballesteros is the DH, there’s only one spot in the lineup that potentially is up for grabs — the right field spot vacated by, uh … (checks notes) … Kyle Tucker.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Getting there involves chartering a plane or catching a flight or ferry from another island.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The attitude evidently was catching.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Virginia started the second half with a 12-3 run, seizing a 51-47 lead on Mallory’s long 3-pointer.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
-
In November 2022, FBI agents carried out a search and seizure warrant at Huntsman’s residence, seizing multiple items.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snatching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snatching. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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