carjacking

noun

car·​jack·​ing ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ 

: the theft of an automobile from its driver by force or intimidation

In the cities and suburbs, where muggings and carjackings are a daily concern, voters are wondering how many of the nation's 200 million guns are pointed at them.

—Richard Lacayo

… Congress made a show of getting tough on crime by making armed carjackings a federal crime.

—Janet Novack

carjack

ˈkär-ˌjak 

transitive verb

carjacked; carjacking; carjacks

Several weeks after the shooting, a woman my age was carjacked there.

—Susan Straight

carjacker

ˈkär-ˌja-kər 

noun

plural carjackers

If you're confronted by a carjacker, be cooperative. The big picture: It's your car versus your life.

—Amy Lumet

Examples of carjacking in a Sentence

The police are investigating another carjacking.

Recent Examples on the Web

May 28: Jerrett Dwain Gray Jr., 20, was a suspect in an armed carjacking when he was fatally shot while trying to flee police in the Cavalier Court apartment complex. —Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Sep. 2024

Those who were sentenced: Jordan Harris pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking, two counts of grand theft involving incidents at YSL in Glendale and Nordstrom at Topanga Canyon Mall. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2024

He is charged with armed carjacking, carrying a pistol without a license and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, police say. —Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 9 July 2024

After the suspect allegedly attempted a carjacking by approaching the driver-side door and pointing a firearm at the window, one of the marshals fired approximately four shots, striking the suspect in the mouth, the documents show. —Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 9 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

car + (hi)jack + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

carjacking

noun

car·​jack·​ing ˈkär-ˌja-kiŋ 

: theft by force or intimidation of an auto that has a driver or passenger present