as in kidnappings
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal
discredited reports of abductions by aliens
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Recent Examples of abductions
Accompanying the violence, both the Naxals and the security forces – including local militia raised to combat the rebels – have been accused of horrific human rights abuses, including abductions, torture and rape.
—
Dhruv Tikekar, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
The last year saw the federal government swarm the city with violent immigration raids and abductions.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 May 2026
Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with over 300 children taken in the northern region.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
An unnamed teacher also confirmed the abductions to Reuters.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
Such abductions are rare in that area.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
In short, there is no truly meaningful evidence here for aliens, alien visitations, alien abductions, or anything like that.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Its work, which launched just weeks after the full-scale invasion began, has helped both to quantify the scope of the abductions and to raise global awareness about Russia’s actions.
—Shahrzad Rasekh, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
The number comes from a 1999 Department of Justice report that used surveys to estimate missing children cases nationwide under broad definitions, including everything from abductions to runaways to brief scares where a kid gets lost for a couple of hours.
—Stephen Johnson, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Dhruv Tikekar, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
The last year saw the federal government swarm the city with violent immigration raids and abductions.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 May 2026
Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with over 300 children taken in the northern region.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
An unnamed teacher also confirmed the abductions to Reuters.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
Such abductions are rare in that area.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
In short, there is no truly meaningful evidence here for aliens, alien visitations, alien abductions, or anything like that.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Its work, which launched just weeks after the full-scale invasion began, has helped both to quantify the scope of the abductions and to raise global awareness about Russia’s actions.
—Shahrzad Rasekh, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
The number comes from a 1999 Department of Justice report that used surveys to estimate missing children cases nationwide under broad definitions, including everything from abductions to runaways to brief scares where a kid gets lost for a couple of hours.
—Stephen Johnson, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abductions
Noun
-
In the '30s, when the Lindbergh baby was abducted, kidnappings and ransoms were so common that high-profile people often secured kidnapping insurance.—
Kase Wickman,
Vanity Fair,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to the Department of Transportation, MARTA's rate of personal security events , including assaults, robberies and rapes, for employees and riders is nearly twice the national average.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
O’Brien managed to escape the attack and was pivotal in helping authorities identify Gaff, who was arrested several times in the years after and spent time behind bars for the rapes of two teenage sisters in 1984.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abductions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abductions. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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