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

In November 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana announced a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Brandon Jermaine Francisco with the 2022 carjacking that resulted in the death of Ella Goodie. —Kyani Reid, NBC News, 27 Nov. 2024

In northwest Baltimore, a community is still reeling from the carjacking of an 83-year-old woman on Park Heights Avenue a week ago. —Keith Daniels, Baltimore Sun, 19 Nov. 2024

Roughly 35 minutes before the carjacking was reported, the suspect was involved in a disturbance at the station, Brinser said. —Jason Green, The Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2024

In July, ahead of the Republican National Convention, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman warned of the crime and several high-profile crimes have involved carjackings. —David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 8 Oct. 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