as in to kidnap
to carry away (as a person) forcibly or unlawfully
the gangsters planned to abduct the industrialist's young daughter and demand a huge ransom from her family
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Recent Examples of abduct
The images and video feature someone wearing a mask, glove and, a backpack and armed with a holstered handgun at the front door of Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted.
—
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
The media features someone wearing a mask, gloves, a backpack and armed with a holstered handgun at the front door of Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted.
—Jessica Schladebeck, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
And then, Pastor Omar was abducted and detained by ICE.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
The 84-year-old was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 1.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abduct
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
The media features someone wearing a mask, gloves, a backpack and armed with a holstered handgun at the front door of Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted.
—Jessica Schladebeck, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
And then, Pastor Omar was abducted and detained by ICE.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
The 84-year-old was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 1.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abduct
kidnap
Verb
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The idea that terrorists would invade the country and kidnap people seems preposterous.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Though Abuja claims to be ramping up its campaign against radical militias, hundreds of people have been killed or kidnapped so far this year, underscoring the lawlessness that pervades swaths of the country.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abduct. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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