What does carjacking mean?
A carjacking is the violent theft of a motor vehicle from its driver or another occupant, typically committed through threats, physical force, or the display of a weapon while the person is inside or immediately beside the car. Unlike ordinary auto theft, where a parked and empty vehicle is taken, carjacking is a confrontational crime against a person as well as property, which makes it legally and emotionally distinct — it is usually treated as a form of robbery rather than simple theft. The word emerged in the United States in the early 1990s, blending 'car' with 'hijacking', and quickly spread into international news vocabulary alongside growing public concern about such attacks. Today it appears most often in crime reporting, police statements, and legal proceedings, frequently modified by words like 'armed', 'attempted', or 'fatal'. Because it evokes sudden danger in everyday situations — stopping at lights, parking at home — the word carries an especially vivid and unsettling connotation for readers.
nounThe crime of forcibly stealing a motor vehicle from its driver or occupant, typically by threat or use of violence while the victim is present.
- The violent theft of a car from its driver or occupants while they are present, usually at gunpoint or under threat.
"Police reported a sharp rise in carjackings in the downtown district last year."
"She was the victim of an armed carjacking outside her own driveway on Monday night."
"The city council introduced new surveillance cameras after a string of carjackings near the transit station."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple incidents, often in crime statistics or news reports.
"Carjackings in the metropolitan area fell by twenty percent this year."
The word 'carjacking' was coined in America in the early 1990s — a portmanteau so new that it barely existed when today's drivers were born, yet it now names one of the most feared street crimes in the world.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of carjacking
The word 'carjacking' is a modern English coinage formed by combining 'car' with 'hijacking', itself derived from the verb 'to hijack', whose origins lie in early twentieth-century American slang, possibly connected to 'hold-up' robbery slang. It arose in the United States around 1991–1992 amid media coverage of a wave of armed vehicle thefts, and was rapidly adopted by newspapers and broadcasters. Although American in origin, the term has since entered British English and international usage, and it stands as a textbook example of late-twentieth-century portmanteau word formation.
How carjacking is actually used
Carjacking carries strong connotations of sudden violence and personal danger, distinguishing it from ordinary vehicle theft. The term originated in the United States and is now standard in both British and American English; it is used primarily in news reporting, police statements, and legal contexts. In legal systems it may be prosecuted as robbery, vehicular assault, or a specific statutory offense depending on the jurisdiction.
Easily confused with carjacking
Grand theft auto is the broader crime of stealing any unattended vehicle, whereas carjacking involves taking it directly from a person by force or intimidation.