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
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
In this unregulated space, however, horror stories abound of coaches and team owners breaking promises and absconding with players’ money, including in Etienne’s league.
—Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
The key moment in the film is a montage of the lovers absconding to Chris’s Malibu getaway for a trip that’s ridiculously, car-commercial lush.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2024
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
In this unregulated space, however, horror stories abound of coaches and team owners breaking promises and absconding with players’ money, including in Etienne’s league.
—Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
The key moment in the film is a montage of the lovers absconding to Chris’s Malibu getaway for a trip that’s ridiculously, car-commercial lush.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absconding
Verb
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About two hours’ drive from Dubai, places of great natural beauty such as Khor Fakkan and Hatta offer diving and hiking for those escaping the city.—
Mina Al-Oraibi,
Time,
14 Apr. 2026
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Manufacturers are flocking to the country, escaping geopolitical uncertainty with a China +1 strategy.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The pursuit ended with Wilkins fleeing the vehicle on foot, with two officers in pursuit.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Rodriguez abandoned his scooter in the street and tampered with its license plate before fleeing, first to the Bronx, then rural Pennsylvania, the prosecutor said.—
Gardiner Anderson,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Everyone aboard the American Airlines jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter died when the two aircraft collided.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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During their 2018 trip to Australia, Meghan and Harry arrived to the continent hand-in-hand, touching down after flying in a Qantas private suite to Sydney.—
Helen Murphy,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Absconding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absconding. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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