as in kidnapping
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal
discredited reports of abductions by aliens
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Recent Examples of abduction
At least four other 911 calls, not including Lee's call, were made the day of her abduction.
—
Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
In a case last year that raised questions about Noboa's crime-fighting methods, eleven soldiers were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison over the abduction of four children, whose bodies were found outside a military base near Guayaquil.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
In a case last year that raised questions about Noboa’s crime-fighting methods, eleven soldiers were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison over the abduction of four children, whose bodies were found outside a military base near Guayaquil.
—Gonzalo Solano, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
The woman was unable to identify her attackers, so police turned to surveillance video to get a partial license plate of the vehicle used in her abduction, Farnell said.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abduction
Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
In a case last year that raised questions about Noboa's crime-fighting methods, eleven soldiers were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison over the abduction of four children, whose bodies were found outside a military base near Guayaquil.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
In a case last year that raised questions about Noboa’s crime-fighting methods, eleven soldiers were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison over the abduction of four children, whose bodies were found outside a military base near Guayaquil.
—Gonzalo Solano, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
The woman was unable to identify her attackers, so police turned to surveillance video to get a partial license plate of the vehicle used in her abduction, Farnell said.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abduction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abduction
Noun
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That flashback thread unfolds against the twilight of British colonial rule, as the impending disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force’s Special Branch collides with the kidnapping of a prominent business tycoon, triggering a dangerous internal power struggle.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
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In the summer of 2022, members of the Sheriff’s Department in Adams County, Ohio, raided Afroman‘s home with a warrant on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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He was booked on one count of rape by force, one count of forcible oral copulation, one count of robbery, one count of extortion and one count of battery and remains behind bars in lieu of $600,000 bail, police said.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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She was granted three emergency protective orders and sought medical attention for injuries sustained during a rape and multiple beatings.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abduction. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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