What does nabbing mean?
Nabbing means catching, seizing, or arresting someone, usually before they have a chance to escape. It has a deliberately brisk, informal tone and suggests a capture made with some speed or surprise: an officer might say he nabbed a suspect, or a bystander might describe catching someone in the act. The word can also mean stealing or taking something unexpectedly, as in “someone nabbed my keys,” although this use is especially associated with British English. Its implications are generally negative because the person being nabbed has been caught while trying to avoid responsibility. The verb is the present participle of “nab” and is widely used in journalism, crime reporting, and everyday conversation. It is related in sound and meaning to “grab,” which likewise conveys taking hold of something quickly.
To catch, seize, or arrest someone, especially unexpectedly.
"The officers nabbed the suspect near the railway station."
Informal and often journalistic; the word suggests speed or surprise.
To steal or take something unexpectedly.
"Someone nabbed my umbrella from the stand."
Common in informal British English and particularly associated with the theft of a small or easily carried object.
Nabbing combines the drama of a surprise capture with the everyday sense of catching someone in the act.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nabbing come from?
Nabbing is formed from the verb “nab,” a word for catching or seizing someone that appears in late 19th-century English. The exact origin of “nab” is uncertain, although it is often treated as a colloquial word and may reflect an older British and Scottish usage. Its modern senses developed in the language of arrest, theft, and informal reports of sudden capture.
Related word forms
How nabbing is actually used
The word is informal to colloquial. In its second sense, it often implies a sudden or unpermitted taking, and it is more common in British English than in American English.
Easily confused with nabbing
To nab means to catch or seize someone, whereas a knob is a rounded handle, fastener, or projecting part.