abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce abduction (audio)
əb-
1
: the action of abducting : the condition of being abducted
2
archaic : the unlawful carrying away of a woman for marriage or sexual intercourse

Examples of abduction in a Sentence

discredited reports of abductions by aliens
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.
It’s been almost two years since the Oct. 7 attack that resulted in the abduction of more than 200 people and more than 1,000 deaths. Mackenzie Thomas, The Washington Examiner, 24 June 2025 Iranian intelligence operatives were said to be behind the abduction of former FBI agent Robert Levinson in March 2007, for example. Nakissa Jahanbani, The Conversation, 20 June 2025 Thousands of heavily armed Guard troops, as well as 700 U.S. Marines have been deployed in the city’s downtown core for over a week in response to protests over ongoing ICE raids and abductions of the undocumented (and in some cases, the documented). Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 June 2025 Mother charged with killing daughter after abduction claim triggered amber alert A woman who told police that her 3-year-old daughter had been abducted has now been charged with murder after a body was found. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for abduction

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin abdūctiōn-, abdūctiō "withdrawal, removal, allurement," from Latin abdūcere "to lead away" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abduct

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of abduction was in 1632

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abduction. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

abduction

noun
ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən, əb- How to pronounce abduction (audio)
1
a
: the action of abducting
abduction of a robbery victim
b
: the tort or felony of abducting a person
2
: the unlawful carrying away of a wife or female child or ward for the purpose of marriage or sexual intercourse

Note: Sense 2 has its roots in common law. As statutorily defined, mainly in the nineteenth century, abduction was generally stated to include taking away or detention of a woman under a certain age, usually 16 or 18, with or without her consent or knowledge of her age.

More from Merriam-Webster on abduction

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