abducted 1 of 2

abducted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of abduct
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 abducted
Adjective
The gang later released six children and seven women following an intervention by community leaders and UNICEF, but dozens remain abducted. ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 The human-rights organization said the dozens of abducted residents were being held by several gang leaders in at least two different locations. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Agent Mulder, hot on the trail of a group of murderers who are harvesting their victims' organs, breaks into a makeshift laboratory in an attempt to save an abducted woman. Brett Tingley, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026 Beyond the official count Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA, the official tracker of abducted children, lists over 20,000 possible cases of forcible deportation and transfer of children by Russia. Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 There were toddlers among the abducted children, according to the outlet. Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026 The dual timelines will continue, and the present-day Scarpetta will have a heavy new case, focusing on abducted teenage girls. Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Mar. 2026 Savannah Guthrie is making a last-minute plea for help in finding her abducted mother, Nancy Guthrie. Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 9 Feb. 2026 According to a criminal complaint, in December, the mother of the abducted girl had an unusual encounter with Bragg on Facebook. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
The 28-year-old’s mother allegedly claimed in a complaint to police that, on July 3, Kaur had been abducted by two acquaintances, assaulted, tied to a tree and set on fire, the outlets reported. Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 After 33 years spent in Italy, Mariano Guerra, an Italian doctor, returns to Argentina to testify at the trial against the former military officers who abducted, tortured and enslaved him during the military dictatorship. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 The movie follows an Italian doctor, Mariano Guerra, who returns to Argentina after 33 years to testify at the trial against the former military officers who abducted, tortured, and enslaved him during the military dictatorship. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026 That 2015 election is significant because it was held a year after nearly 300 girls were abducted from a school in the northeast Nigerian town of Chibok by jihadist group Boko Haram. Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026 John is then abducted by a group led by an alien named Antaan, who tells him about the Manhunters—ancient synthetic predecessors to the Green Lantern Corps capable of disguising themselves as other species. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 In 2022, Oklahoma death row inmate William Reece received three life sentences after pleading guilty to three murders in Texas, including the killing of 12-year-old Laura Smither, who was abducted while jogging near her home in Friendswood in 1997. Holly Yan, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 One of those holding out hope is kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted from her home at age 14 in 2002 and rescued nine months later. Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 24 Aug. 2026 Residents said scores of people were abducted, with some estimating between 60 and 80 people were kidnapped. ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abducted
kidnapped
Verb
  • Their arrival comes during a violent week in Haiti; at least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped, according to Haitian officials.
    Nathan Lee, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • A week before the latest attack, two people were repeatedly kidnapped not far from where gangs had burned an armored Haiti National Police vehicle.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Abducted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abducted. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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