red-handed

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Miranda and his accomplices played a hands-on role in the importation and were caught red handed by officers who had been diligently watching them and building strong evidence against them."

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2023

“They were caught red handed with no place to go. And during a moment when they want to improve relations with many big powers, principally the U.S.”

From New York Times • Feb. 5, 2023

For markets, this is like stealing the last cookie in the cookie jar, getting caught red handed, and, instead of a good spanking, you get another cookie, with chocolate on.

From Reuters • Feb. 2, 2023

"It reads a lot like a stern but polite reprimand of a child caught red handed who needs to be read the riot act," he wrote.

From Salon • Sep. 22, 2022

"However," said he, "'twill not be long, the culprits having been taken red handed."

From The Cloister and the Hearth A Tale of the Middle Ages by Reade, Charles