variants
also kidnaping
as in abduction
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of kidnapping
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Reports indicate that the possibility of an internet outage the night of the kidnapping was also looked into.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Apr. 2026
Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
He had been released to home detention and was barred from possessing a firearm at the time of the alleged January kidnapping and robbery.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Dylan Johnson, the assistant secretary of state for global affairs, said a person believed to have been involved in the kidnapping had been captured and was in Iraqi custody.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
One suspect alleged to be involved in the kidnapping was arrested when one of the cars fleeing the scene crashed and overturned, according to Iraq's interior ministry.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The alleged robbery and kidnapping took place just three months later.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 have been arrested alongside multiple other suspects on federal robbery and kidnapping charges in Texas, the Department of Justice announced today, April 2.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping her.
—Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Guthrie added that the family immediately jumped to kidnapping for ransom.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 27 Mar. 2026
Portuguese police have arrested a former French police officer suspected of killing his partner and his ex-girlfriend after kidnapping them and their children.
—CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
An Arizona sheriff’s deputy is accused of kidnapping a woman while on duty and was fired from the department investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, authorities said.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2026
More specifically, kidnapping present-day Nick (also Vaughn).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Israel launched its retaliatory war in Gaza after fighters from Hamas — considered a terrorist organization by the US and European Union — attacked its south, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping roughly 250 others.
—Fadwa Hodali, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
But an industry that went from celebrating a movie about an Iranian ogre kidnapping an American woman to movies about Iranian people themselves held hostage by a tyrannical state showed exactly why cinematic choices matter.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
In the most recent kidnapping, officers described the suspect as a 40-year-old man.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Reports indicate that the possibility of an internet outage the night of the kidnapping was also looked into.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Apr. 2026
Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
He had been released to home detention and was barred from possessing a firearm at the time of the alleged January kidnapping and robbery.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Dylan Johnson, the assistant secretary of state for global affairs, said a person believed to have been involved in the kidnapping had been captured and was in Iraqi custody.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
One suspect alleged to be involved in the kidnapping was arrested when one of the cars fleeing the scene crashed and overturned, according to Iraq's interior ministry.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The alleged robbery and kidnapping took place just three months later.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 have been arrested alongside multiple other suspects on federal robbery and kidnapping charges in Texas, the Department of Justice announced today, April 2.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The crime had similarities to those committed by Bundy, who admitted to kidnapping and murdering young women throughout the Western United States in the 1970s.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping her.
—Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Guthrie added that the family immediately jumped to kidnapping for ransom.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 27 Mar. 2026
Portuguese police have arrested a former French police officer suspected of killing his partner and his ex-girlfriend after kidnapping them and their children.
—CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
An Arizona sheriff’s deputy is accused of kidnapping a woman while on duty and was fired from the department investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, authorities said.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2026
More specifically, kidnapping present-day Nick (also Vaughn).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Israel launched its retaliatory war in Gaza after fighters from Hamas — considered a terrorist organization by the US and European Union — attacked its south, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping roughly 250 others.
—Fadwa Hodali, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
But an industry that went from celebrating a movie about an Iranian ogre kidnapping an American woman to movies about Iranian people themselves held hostage by a tyrannical state showed exactly why cinematic choices matter.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnapping
Noun
-
The ministry said Iraqi security forces had managed to arrest one suspect and seize a vehicle used in the abduction.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The abduction sparked an operation from Iraqi security forces to track down those responsible and secure her release.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ramos, 82, denied abducting the 6-year-old and was never charged in his disappearance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
City officials said there were no credible reports of Haitian immigrants abducting and eating pets.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His son, Farouk, was a suspect in the rape and murder of 23-year-old Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen in London in 2008.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Alexander William Schecter, 26, was charged with kidnapping to commit another crime, first-degree residential robbery, two counts of forcible oral copulation and forcible rape, all of which are felonies, according to a news release shared by the DA's Office.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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