variants
also kidnaping
as in hijacking
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal
an alert system for the prompt reporting of juvenile kidnappings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
variants
also kidnaping
as in abducting
to carry away (as a person) forcibly or unlawfully
the child of the wealthy industrialist was kidnapped and held for ransom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kidnapping
Brent Lang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
He was arrested on charges of kidnapping, carjacking and aggravated stalking, according to authorities.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
The 41-year-old man has been charged with kidnapping, child abuse and animal cruelty, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Decker, an Army veteran, was wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, police said.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
Even Abbie’s parentally consensual kidnapping captures an anxiety among Canadians about their neighbors to the south that couldn’t be more timely in 2025.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Wayward wastes absolutely no time getting started with an episode that features a midnight kidnapping, a murder, and Toni Collette riding a recumbent bike like some modern-day Wicked Witch.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The stadium is about a mile away from where the kidnapping took place.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
Decker, 32, was accused of murder and kidnapping in their deaths.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Kayti Burt, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Jury from Jasper county hears Porter case The other case was a high-profile one in February 2006 involving Daniel Porter, who was accused of kidnapping his 7-year-old son, Sam, and 8-year-old daughter, Lindsey, in June 2004 to terrorize his ex-wife, Tina Porter.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025
In order to maintain their loyalty and increase their areas of control, the family allegedly began kidnapping people to obtain ransom money.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
In 1975, a college professor named Claude Snelling was shot and killed in Visalia while trying to stop a gunman from kidnapping his teenage daughter.
—Ian Berry, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Our communities face attack after attack—floods and fires fueled by Big Oil, ICE agenda kidnapping our neighbors, congress revoking our healthcare.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
An attorney for the former Hialeah police officer convicted of kidnapping a homeless man urged an appeals court on Tuesday to reverse the ex-cop’s conviction, arguing that his prosecution shouldn’t have occurred because the victim was lawfully arrested.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Police arrested a person suspected of kidnapping a man after luring him to a location with promises of a photography session.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2025
Brandon Conley faces one count of kidnapping a minor and one count of theft by unlawful taking or disposition of auto between $1,000 and $10,000.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
Two are currently in development; the first, a feature length documentary about one of the most successful women’s soccer teams in Africa, the second a feature length documentary about the surprising aftermath of a kidnapping.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
He was arrested on charges of kidnapping, carjacking and aggravated stalking, according to authorities.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
The 41-year-old man has been charged with kidnapping, child abuse and animal cruelty, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Decker, an Army veteran, was wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, police said.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
Even Abbie’s parentally consensual kidnapping captures an anxiety among Canadians about their neighbors to the south that couldn’t be more timely in 2025.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Wayward wastes absolutely no time getting started with an episode that features a midnight kidnapping, a murder, and Toni Collette riding a recumbent bike like some modern-day Wicked Witch.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The stadium is about a mile away from where the kidnapping took place.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
Decker, 32, was accused of murder and kidnapping in their deaths.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Jesan escapes from defeat by kidnapping Ji-yeon and requesting Heon meet him alone.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Jury from Jasper county hears Porter case The other case was a high-profile one in February 2006 involving Daniel Porter, who was accused of kidnapping his 7-year-old son, Sam, and 8-year-old daughter, Lindsey, in June 2004 to terrorize his ex-wife, Tina Porter.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025
In order to maintain their loyalty and increase their areas of control, the family allegedly began kidnapping people to obtain ransom money.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
In 1975, a college professor named Claude Snelling was shot and killed in Visalia while trying to stop a gunman from kidnapping his teenage daughter.
—Ian Berry, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Our communities face attack after attack—floods and fires fueled by Big Oil, ICE agenda kidnapping our neighbors, congress revoking our healthcare.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
An attorney for the former Hialeah police officer convicted of kidnapping a homeless man urged an appeals court on Tuesday to reverse the ex-cop’s conviction, arguing that his prosecution shouldn’t have occurred because the victim was lawfully arrested.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Police arrested a person suspected of kidnapping a man after luring him to a location with promises of a photography session.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2025
Brandon Conley faces one count of kidnapping a minor and one count of theft by unlawful taking or disposition of auto between $1,000 and $10,000.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnapping
Noun
-
The hijacking of the sport and the community institutions that built it, by noxious forces using it for their own means.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
This prevents session hijacking if the system keeps tokens cached.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bell was arrested in connection with abducting his ex-girlfriend near the University of South Florida in Tampa in July 2024, WFLA reported.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The Sampson County Sheriff's Office said the man accused of abducting her, Tyler Ray Toodle, is in custody.—
Jenna Sundel
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Armas’ abduction is one of dozens detailed in the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission’s 2025 report on Venezuela.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Now spreading to other Blue states and cities, the LA abductions saw heavy protests in DTLA and Trump federalizing the state’s National Guard and hundreds of Marines to clampdown.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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