chop shop

noun

: a place where stolen automobiles are stripped of salable parts

Examples of chop shop 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.
The chop shop Pig-butchering schemes come in many shapes and sizes. — Kim Komando, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024 One time, the chop shop made brownies out of beets, according to Avner. — Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Chacon pleaded guilty to felony charges of motor vehicle theft, forgery, and operating a chop shop, prosecutors said. — Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2025 Garcia was detained and later arrested on two counts of grand theft auto, one count of owning or aiding in operating a chop shop, and one count of forging or altering a vehicle title, according to his arrest report. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chop shop

Word History

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chop shop was in 1977

Rhymes for chop shop

See All Rhymes for chop shop

Browse Nearby Words

chops
chop shop
chop-socky
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chop shop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chop%20shop. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

chop shop

noun
: a place where stolen automobiles are stripped for salable parts

Legal Definition

chop-shop

noun
ˈchäp-ˌshäp
: a place where stolen automobiles are stripped of salable parts

More from Merriam-Webster on chop shop

Nglish: Translation of chop shop for Spanish Speakers

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