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
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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
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Recent Examples of nabbing
Along the way, Harding had 12 players earn All-GAC honors and win three major conference awards, with Braden Jay earning Offensive Player of the Year honors and Clark Griffin nabbing Defensive Player of the Year accolades.
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Erick Taylor, Arkansas Online, 31 Dec. 2025
And many proved her experience wasn't an anomaly when the album won accolade after accolade, including nabbing Beyoncé her long-overdue Album of the Year gramophone during the 2025 Grammy Awards.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
Iowa State hires Jimmy Rogers With Sitake off the board, PSU shifted its focus to another program in the Big 12, nabbing Matt Campbell for Iowa State on Friday.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
How about nabbing one for free?
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 28 Nov. 2025
Over the course of the season, the content creator — who has been paired with pro Val Chmerkovskiy — has impressed the judges, nabbing plenty of 10s from the judges for her moves.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
While there are plenty of places to dine on property—an open-air deck, a solarium, and an outdoor grotto—I’d recommend nabbing a reservation.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 23 Nov. 2025
More recently, Barbie accomplished a similar feat, generating over $1 billion at the worldwide box office while nabbing eight Oscar nominations.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabbing
Verb
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The arresting officer’s injuries did not require medical attention, Frasier told the Idaho Statesman by email.—
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The government is also still cracking down on dissent, arresting people for celebrating Maduro’s capture.—
Verb
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Take after the actress by grabbing them in black, or choose from six additional colors, including burgundy and deep brown.—
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Healthy cooking often boils down to accessibility and convenience; busy lives can leave people grabbing less nutritious alternatives.—
Verb
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But seizing current oil production is one thing; overhauling Venezuela's entire oil industry would be another.—
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Trump has occasionally discussed seizing Greenland since his first term but few initially took his threats seriously.—
Verb
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Through the air, their pass-catching group is one of the worst in the playoffs.—
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At Oklahoma, Livingstone will be catching passes from John Mateer, who completed 62% of his passes for 2,885 yards in 2025, accumulating 14 touchdown passes to go with 11 interceptions.—
Verb
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Protesters in Minneapolis have since flooded the streets in the thousands, and ICE agents have responded by apprehending some, shoving others to the ground, and spraying chemical irritants in their faces.—
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While our immigration enforcement should be focused on apprehending and prosecuting violent criminals to make our communities safer, these ICE actions are doing the opposite and making our state less safe.—
Verb
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Keep going and the path climbs to the top of the arch, a high perch with breath-snatching panoramas.—
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The Shea Moisture Define & Shine Edge Gel slicks my edges back without snatching them to hell.—
Verb
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By capturing and using the static electricity in compressed air, this system offers a sustainable way to generate electricity while also neutralizing hazardous charges that pose safety risks.—
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Like Dostoyevsky, Capote doesn’t portray his killers as demonic ciphers, instead capturing their messy complexity.—
Cite this Entry
“Nabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabbing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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