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
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
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
Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
An 88-year-old grandmother was abducted from her home in February 2003 and placed in the trunk of her car.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
The media features someone wearing a mask, gloves, a backpack and armed with a holstered handgun at the front door of Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted.
—Jessica Schladebeck, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
And then, Pastor Omar was abducted and detained by ICE.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Police determined the home was a crime scene and that Guthrie had apparently been abducted.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Guthrie was first reported to be missing from her home in Arizona on Saturday, January 31, and was later confirmed to have been abducted.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 6 Feb. 2026
Nancy was first reported missing on February 1, and police in Arizona believe the mother of three has been abducted.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
Why was Nancy Guthrie abducted?
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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
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
Verb
Authorities got a huge break on Tuesday with the release of footage of an armed individual wearing a balaclava, gloves and a backpack approaching the front door of Guthrie’s Arizona home and tampering with a Nest camera the morning she was abducted.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
An 88-year-old grandmother was abducted from her home in February 2003 and placed in the trunk of her car.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
The media features someone wearing a mask, gloves, a backpack and armed with a holstered handgun at the front door of Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted.
—Jessica Schladebeck, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
And then, Pastor Omar was abducted and detained by ICE.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Police determined the home was a crime scene and that Guthrie had apparently been abducted.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Guthrie was first reported to be missing from her home in Arizona on Saturday, January 31, and was later confirmed to have been abducted.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 6 Feb. 2026
Nancy was first reported missing on February 1, and police in Arizona believe the mother of three has been abducted.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
Why was Nancy Guthrie abducted?
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abducted
kidnapped
Verb
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The secluded area in Arizona where Guthrie lives and appears to have been kidnapped in the early morning hours of February 1 continues to present obstacles, as does the intense media scrutiny.—
Elizabeth Hartfield,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The man who kidnapped Savannah Guthrie’s mother will eventually be arrested, according to lawyer and radio host Arthur Aidala.—
Richard Johnson,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abducted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abducted. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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