Definition of abductnext
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of abduct Lukehart told officers Hanshaw was abducted from the front of his girlfriend’s home, but later claimed the abduction occurred at a store before eventually admitting to killing the girl. Jim Turner, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026 Our city’s lack of a proactive plan leaves over 1 million members of our community at risk of being abducted. Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026 At 14, she was abducted from her Salt Lake City, Utah, home in June 2002. David Oliver, USA Today, 4 May 2026 Since the start of the war, Russian forces have abducted tens of thousands of Ukrainian children, according to researchers with the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health. Shahrzad Rasekh, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for abduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abduct
kidnap
Verb
  • Soon Collie is ensnared in a plot to kidnap a sickly rich boy that immediately goes off the rails.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
  • Long before trial, six co-conspirators in the case had pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to kidnap or kill Moïse or to a lesser charge of smuggling the vests to the Colombians.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026

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“Abduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abduct. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

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