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arrebatar

to snatch, to seize

verb ah-rreh-bah-TAHR Less Common
People & Society Military

Origin: From Hispanic Arabic ribāt ('frontier attack'), via rebato/arrebato.

Also means

to captivate (attention)

Usage Note

Arrebatar conveys forceful, sudden taking: le arrebataron el bolso ('they snatched her bag'). In an elevated register it describes something that captures one completely — una música que arrebata el alma ('music that seizes the soul'). The related noun el arrebato means 'a fit of rage or passion' (en un arrebato de ira — 'in a fit of anger').

Examples

"Le arrebataron la cartera en la calle."

Natural Translation

They snatched his wallet in the street.

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