nab
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To seize, arrest or take into custody.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
nabIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈnæb
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
informaltransitive
To seize, arrest or take into custody (a criminal or fugitive).
“The police nabbed the suspected criminals.”
informaltransitive
To grab or snatch something.
informaltransitive
Seize suddenly
Internet slangtransitive
To steal or copy another user's post.
noun
The summit of a hill.
The cock of a gunlock.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To seize, arrest or take into custody (a criminal or fugitive).
Used this way, nab is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It turns up most in everyday conversation and social media or informal writing contexts.
“The police nabbed the suspected criminals.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Casual
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Casual and conversational
Where it naturally appears
- Everyday conversation
- Social media/informal writing
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to seize or arrest
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.