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
Some 30 hostages were released before the two-month ceasefire crumbled, including Yarden Bibas and Sagui Dekel-Chen, who were also both abducted from Nir Oz.
—
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
One of the central families in Red Alert, the Yahalomis, try to shelter in their home but are found and abducted by Hamas.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Incredibly, the two were separated after they were abducted.
—Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Hostages and Missing Families Forum Matan Zangauker, 25, was abducted from kibbutz Nir Oz along with his girlfriend, Ilana Gritzewsky.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abduct
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
One of the central families in Red Alert, the Yahalomis, try to shelter in their home but are found and abducted by Hamas.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Incredibly, the two were separated after they were abducted.
—Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Hostages and Missing Families Forum Matan Zangauker, 25, was abducted from kibbutz Nir Oz along with his girlfriend, Ilana Gritzewsky.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abduct
kidnap
Verb
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On October 7, 2023, militants led by Hamas stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping about another 250 in a coordinated attack that blindsided the country.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
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The peculiar requirement is an homage to Emma Stone’s character in the film, who is a bald-headed CEO who ends up kidnapped and suspected of being an alien.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abduct. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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