as in kidnapped
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as in captured
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 abducted
Rachel Wolf , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Based on the Arsène Lupin character Maurice Leblanc created in the early 1900s, the series initially followed Assane’s revenge mission against the Pellegrini family who wronged his father, before morphing into a search for his abducted son and then on to his mission to steal the Black Pearl.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2025
The remaining 130 schoolchildren kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State in November have been released, a presidential spokesman said on Sunday, confirming that all abducted pupils are now free.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
Cheery and resolute Vault 33 dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell) left her underground home to find her abducted father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), and in doing so realized the difficulty of living by the golden rule in a world that’s defined by ruthlessness and want.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
The tense thriller about an abducted child was led by Succession’s Sarah Snook and also stars Jake Lacy, Abby Elliott, Sophia Lillis and Michael Peña.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Arriero also clarified that this was not a case of abducted children, but part of an ongoing legal process in the United States.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
The 1949 Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Act provides the framework by which Lajo’s husband and brother return from India to get her; under that edict, India and Pakistan agreed to exchange abducted women.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
The Amber Alert plan in Michigan began in 2001 and is a partnership between law enforcement and the media to immediately disseminate information to the public about an abducted child using the Emergency Alert System.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
So the Christians being abducted have to cough out huge sums as ransoms.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
On the morning of December 10, 2024, Armas was abducted from a cafeteria in eastern Caracas.
—Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
The stakes were made clear from the outset as Maduro, who took copious notes throughout the proceedings and wished a Happy New Year to reporters in court, repeatedly pressed his case that he had been unlawfully abducted.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
While some believe the children drowned or that there was the involvement of a religious cult, the most prevalent theory is that the children were abducted by the man they were spotted with on the beach.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and that some of those abducted were children.
—CNN Money, 4 Jan. 2026
Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and that some of those abducted were children.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Stephen Kabirat, a spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and abducted several others, including children.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The 38 abducted worshipers were freed almost a week later.
—Rachel Wolf , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Based on the Arsène Lupin character Maurice Leblanc created in the early 1900s, the series initially followed Assane’s revenge mission against the Pellegrini family who wronged his father, before morphing into a search for his abducted son and then on to his mission to steal the Black Pearl.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2025
The remaining 130 schoolchildren kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State in November have been released, a presidential spokesman said on Sunday, confirming that all abducted pupils are now free.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
Cheery and resolute Vault 33 dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell) left her underground home to find her abducted father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), and in doing so realized the difficulty of living by the golden rule in a world that’s defined by ruthlessness and want.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
The tense thriller about an abducted child was led by Succession’s Sarah Snook and also stars Jake Lacy, Abby Elliott, Sophia Lillis and Michael Peña.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Arriero also clarified that this was not a case of abducted children, but part of an ongoing legal process in the United States.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
The 1949 Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Act provides the framework by which Lajo’s husband and brother return from India to get her; under that edict, India and Pakistan agreed to exchange abducted women.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
The Amber Alert plan in Michigan began in 2001 and is a partnership between law enforcement and the media to immediately disseminate information to the public about an abducted child using the Emergency Alert System.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
After Liat Beinin Atzili and her husband Aviv were abducted by Hamas on October 7, Liat’s father Yehuda embarks on an uncertain mission to secure his daughter’s release while resisting pressure to use her captivity to justify escalating violence in Gaza.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
So the Christians being abducted have to cough out huge sums as ransoms.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
On the morning of December 10, 2024, Armas was abducted from a cafeteria in eastern Caracas.
—Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
The stakes were made clear from the outset as Maduro, who took copious notes throughout the proceedings and wished a Happy New Year to reporters in court, repeatedly pressed his case that he had been unlawfully abducted.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
While some believe the children drowned or that there was the involvement of a religious cult, the most prevalent theory is that the children were abducted by the man they were spotted with on the beach.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and that some of those abducted were children.
—CNN Money, 4 Jan. 2026
Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and that some of those abducted were children.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Stephen Kabirat, a spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and abducted several others, including children.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abducted
kidnapped
Verb
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Deputies said initial statements claimed he had been kidnapped and robbed at gunpoint by two unknown suspects who then allegedly restrained him and set the vehicle on fire.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Any show where characters are regularly shot, kidnapped, and/or tortured needs a touch of comedy, and that’s where German bounty hunter Randy comes in.—
Tanya Melendez,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abducted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abducted. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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