as in escaping
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
the burglar was trying to abscond with the jewels when he tumbled down the stairs
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Recent Examples of absconding
Police are searching for a straphanger suspected of unbolting a door switch from a inside a downtown C train Monday evening, snipping the wires and then absconding with the train part, sources tell the Daily News.
—
Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
For the last couple of years at least, groups of international thieves have been traveling to Southern California and burglarizing homes and stores before absconding back to their home countries.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Slim Shady, her roughly 70-pound, 22-year-old sulcata tortoise, farts loudly, sometimes knocks her down and has forced her to find him after absconding in her North Highlands neighborhood when her front gate was left open.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Their legendary match at 'Money in the Bank' in 2011, which saw Punk defeat Cena for the WWE Championship before absconding with the title, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Premium Live Event endings ever.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Authorities booked Smith in the Greene County jail on a warrant for absconding parole while the homicide investigation continues, the release states.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2025
Warrants in Texas have been issued for the absconding Democrats arrest.
—Jim Talamonti, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
In early-1970s Framingham, Massachusetts, taciturn family man James (Josh O’Connor) makes the rash, largely inscrutable decision to orchestrate a heist at the local art museum, absconding with a selection of modern paintings—without much of a plan.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
The older brother, Obed, had a beautiful daughter and a beautiful, young ex-wife, both of whom had left him, absconding to the West Coast.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
For the last couple of years at least, groups of international thieves have been traveling to Southern California and burglarizing homes and stores before absconding back to their home countries.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Slim Shady, her roughly 70-pound, 22-year-old sulcata tortoise, farts loudly, sometimes knocks her down and has forced her to find him after absconding in her North Highlands neighborhood when her front gate was left open.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Their legendary match at 'Money in the Bank' in 2011, which saw Punk defeat Cena for the WWE Championship before absconding with the title, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Premium Live Event endings ever.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Authorities booked Smith in the Greene County jail on a warrant for absconding parole while the homicide investigation continues, the release states.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2025
Warrants in Texas have been issued for the absconding Democrats arrest.
—Jim Talamonti, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
In early-1970s Framingham, Massachusetts, taciturn family man James (Josh O’Connor) makes the rash, largely inscrutable decision to orchestrate a heist at the local art museum, absconding with a selection of modern paintings—without much of a plan.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
The older brother, Obed, had a beautiful daughter and a beautiful, young ex-wife, both of whom had left him, absconding to the West Coast.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absconding
Verb
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And yet art-world institutions—including major museums, schools, commercial galleries, and publishing outlets—have mostly avoided the fawning capitulation of universities and Democrats, simply going quiet in the hope of escaping notice for the next three years.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Seal gaps and cracks to prevent hot air from entering and cool air from escaping.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Between 2012 and 2015, Perry was also convicted of assault likely to cause great bodily injury, domestic violence, possession of ammunition as a felon and fleeing from police in Sacramento County, according to the criminal complaint.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
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Continue reading … IN OTHER NEWS GOLDEN STATE EXODUS — Californians fleeing to red states are driving up home prices and rents in their new cities, data shows.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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How about flying a chopper over the Great Barrier Reef from the on-site helipad?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Beside her, the dog shakes itself, droplets flying from it, then fixes her with an appraising gaze.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Absconding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absconding. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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