abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən 

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

Synonyms

• kidnaping
• kidnapping
• rape

Examples of abduction in a Sentence

discredited reports of abductions by aliens

Recent Examples on the Web

Though Andre officially ended things with his other flame, Ashley (Jen Jacob), Dani's daughter's abduction has forced her to spend some questionable quality time with her ex-husband Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett), who, it should be noted, shares a last name with Devon Winters' birth mother Yolanda. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025

Tsurkov's abduction was later confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025

And once she is threatened with abduction by the villains, Ziva is back in glamorously brutal action to protect her. —Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025

Season three finds former British spy Sylvia Fox, played by Silent Witness star Emilia Fox, mentally and physically recovered from her abduction at the end Season 2 and back to enjoying her life in Italy. —Peter White, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for abduction

• adduction
• conduction
• construction
• deduction
• destruction
• eduction
• induction
• instruction
• obstruction
• production
• reduction
• seduction

Legal Definition

abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən, əb- 

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.