smash-and-grab

adjective

chiefly British
used to describe a robbery that is done by breaking a window of a car, store, etc., and stealing whatever can be taken quickly
a smash-and-grab robbery/thief

Examples of smash-and-grab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While homicides in Los Angeles were down last year, according to police, fears about crime persist as videos of smash-and-grab burglaries routinely go viral and more stores lock up their deodorant and toothpaste shelves. Emma Tucker, CNN, 1 Dec. 2024 Governor, switch that energy to the criminals who are holding up Illinoisans at gunpoint, committing smash-and-grab robberies, stealing cars in record numbers, and committing homicides, home invasions, theft and more. J. Marcos Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Nov. 2024 The law became the scorn of critics as retail and smash-and-grab thefts in California increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 6 Nov. 2024 In all three races, critics who cited smash-and-grab robberies, open drug dealing at homeless encampments and other unlawful trends, said the leaders were too soft on crime. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for smash-and-grab 

Dictionary Entries Near smash-and-grab

Cite this Entry

“Smash-and-grab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smash-and-grab. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!