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
Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
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
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
Hamida’s decision not to go to India comes with the recognition that the return of thousands of abducted women to their families wasn’t an indication that society was suddenly progressive.
—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
Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Exact plot details for the show are being kept under wraps, but the book is about a mother who is forced to kidnap a child after her own daughter is abducted.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Those who haven’t been murdered, abducted, detained.
—Katherine Packert Burke, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
For more than two years, Israelis pinned yellow ribbons to their lapels and gathered to remember the hostages abducted during the deadliest day in the country’s history.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
An OnlyFans model and influencer has been found safe just a few days after she was abducted at gunpoint in Mexico, authorities said.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer whose body was taken to Gaza after he was killed on October 7, 2023, was the last of the hostages slain or abducted on that date whose remains were still in Gaza.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
An OnlyFans model and influencer has been found safe just a few days after she was abducted at gunpoint in Mexico, authorities said.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
His body was later abducted to Gaza.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
In response to Amber's heart-wrenching case, a Texas mom named Diana Simone had the idea to create an emergency system for abducted children, similar to a weather or civil defense alert.
—Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
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
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
Hamida’s decision not to go to India comes with the recognition that the return of thousands of abducted women to their families wasn’t an indication that society was suddenly progressive.
—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
Immigrant parents are afraid to go outside because of the fear of being abducted.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Exact plot details for the show are being kept under wraps, but the book is about a mother who is forced to kidnap a child after her own daughter is abducted.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Those who haven’t been murdered, abducted, detained.
—Katherine Packert Burke, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
For more than two years, Israelis pinned yellow ribbons to their lapels and gathered to remember the hostages abducted during the deadliest day in the country’s history.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
An OnlyFans model and influencer has been found safe just a few days after she was abducted at gunpoint in Mexico, authorities said.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer whose body was taken to Gaza after he was killed on October 7, 2023, was the last of the hostages slain or abducted on that date whose remains were still in Gaza.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
An OnlyFans model and influencer has been found safe just a few days after she was abducted at gunpoint in Mexico, authorities said.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
His body was later abducted to Gaza.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 26 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 31 Jan. 2026.
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