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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Engineers have been trying to capture this escaping waste heat and turn it back into electricity using thermoelectric devices.
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The current population is a result of the toads escaping or being released by importers during the 1950s and ‘60s, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Verb
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Lastly, Salinas had an active warrant against him filed in May for fleeing from police after a hit and run.
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Upon arrival, officers saw two people and a child allegedly fleeing from the store into a vehicle.
Verb
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Taylor loves her Easter eggs, and there are rumors flying that Madison Square Garden is simply a bold ploy to redirect fans’ (and the media’s) attention away from where her true nuptials will be.
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So, at this point, the town of Calistoga doesn't seem willing to take a chance that flying cars will be showing up any time soon.
Cite this Entry
“Absconding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absconding. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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