nab
verb (used with object)
to arrest or capture.
nab
1 American
[nab]
/ næb /
verb (used with object)
Informal.
-
nabs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
nabbed,
past participle, past
-
nabbing
present participle
-
to arrest or capture.
-
to catch or seize, especially suddenly.
-
to snatch or steal.
NAB
2
American
nab
British
/ næb /
verb
-
to arrest
-
to catch (someone) in wrongdoing
-
to seize suddenly; snatch
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
nabsimple
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nabssimple
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have nabbedperfect
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has nabbedperfect
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am nabbingprogressive
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are nabbingprogressive
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is nabbingprogressive
-
have been nabbingperfect progressive
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has been nabbingperfect progressive
Past
-
nabbedsimple
-
had nabbedperfect
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was nabbingprogressive
-
were nabbingprogressive
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had been nabbingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of nab
1675–85; earlier nap; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Danish nappe, Norwegian, Swedish nappa to snatch
Explanation
When you nab someone, you catch the person in the act of doing something wrong. A police officer, for example, might say that she loves to nab shoplifters. You nab when you apprehend a bad guy, or when you suddenly grab something: "Hey, you can't just nab a slice of pizza off my plate!" It's most common to use nab when a criminal is caught, as when the FBI nabs a suspected terrorist or an officer nabs a would-be graffiti artist. Nab probably came from an earlier word, nap, "to seize or catch," which is now obsolete except in the word kidnap.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It’s just not fair is it,” said Laura Roberts, who unsuccessfully attempted to nab tickets during their initial release.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Ben's prediction: Palace lost 3-0 to City home and away last season, but I reckon they will nab a goal this time.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Lacaze attributes her toughness to her modest upbringing in Brisbane, Australia, where she was the fourth of five children behind three brothers who tried to nab the food from her plate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
If you’re hoping to nab tickets to the LA28 Olympics in the second drop coming in August, you might want to brace yourself.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
“I knew they’d nab us one day!” said Dozer.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
They tell clients that NAB continues to look like a better bet than its major peers based on its return profile, even though its stock has outperformed those of its rivals since May.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Westpac and NAB look most vulnerable in the near term, they add.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Putting Westpac’s result alongside those from rivals ANZ and NAB, the analysts see risks building as higher interest rates and a softer economy lead to slowing volumes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
ANZ and NAB remain Macquarie’s preferred picks among the majors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025
Any AB and NAB naturals out there who want to share their regimen?
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Plus, JetBlue nabs Spirit slots in New York, and airfares are still rising.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
See also: Palantir’s stock nabs another upgrade, with its valuation now less of a ‘struggle’
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026
Erivo has won rave reviews for her reprised role, so if she nabs a best Oscar win come March, and the coveted EGOT, it will be the cherry on the icing on the cake.
From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2025
Weiss nabs an exclusive interview with the pop star at a rented mansion in the Hollywood Hills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2025
It comes up from underneath the fish with its mouth wide open, soars upward, nabs the fish, and then falls back into the ocean, almost on its side.
From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
The cast and crew behind Apple TV's sleeper hit celebrated the supernatural TV comedy's popular first season, which nabbed six wins on Monday and another eight at the Creative Arts Emmys earlier this month.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
TwoStep Therapeutics, a San Carlos, Calif.-based startup developing targeted therapies for solid tumors, nabbed $62.5 million in Series A financing from investors including Insight Partners, Medical Excellence Capital, M Ventures and Pfizer Ventures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Agents had nabbed the Mexico native while he was on a landscaping job.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Scoundrel, a restaurant on Main Street, nabbed a star.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Six weeks you’re holding back info that could’ve nabbed the Recluse.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
But if they are also the person who makes meetings less painful and teamwork less frustrating, they might have a better chance at nabbing that job.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
After an indifferent first half, along with the rest of his team, he made a good start to the second half, nabbing two turnovers in quick succession.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
"The win, that's the most important thing," said James, who received a standing ovation when he was subbed out for son Bronny James, seconds after nabbing his 10th rebound.
From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026
Currently 60% of the bank’s employees globally are active on the platform, nabbing gigs they can spend up to eight hours on within their regular workweek.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2025
When Will didn’t answer, Ben helped himself, nabbing a handful of fries from Will’s tray.
From "Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story" by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
