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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kidnapping
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
In November, the board granted parole to Gregory Lee Vogelsang, who was convicted in August 1999 of more than two dozen child molestation and kidnapping charges involving five boys.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Authorities have described the case as a possible kidnapping or abduction, but clues have been scarce.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
It is not known as fact that this was a kidnapping for ransom.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
Guthrie’s brother first identified it as a kidnapping Guthrie’s brother, Camron, was the first to consider the idea that Nancy’s disappearance might be a crime.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping represents one of more than 80 reported missing persons cases in the Tucson, Arizona, area, and calls attention to families' ceaseless efforts to locate loved ones.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
That flashback thread unfolds against the twilight of British colonial rule, as the impending disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force’s Special Branch collides with the kidnapping of a prominent business tycoon, triggering a dangerous internal power struggle.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
The search, on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping, didn't yield any evidence or charges against the rapper, whose legal name is Joseph Foreman.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
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
When her favorite horror scribe gets into an accident near her home, Wilkes ends up kidnapping Sheldon, and the rest is movie history.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 5 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
In July 2006, demanding the release of Lebanese prisoners in Israel, Hezbollah fighters entered Israeli territory, kidnapping two Israeli soldiers and killing three.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
Detectives have not determined if he is connected to last week's kidnapping in the same general area.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
In November, the board granted parole to Gregory Lee Vogelsang, who was convicted in August 1999 of more than two dozen child molestation and kidnapping charges involving five boys.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Authorities have described the case as a possible kidnapping or abduction, but clues have been scarce.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
It is not known as fact that this was a kidnapping for ransom.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
Guthrie’s brother first identified it as a kidnapping Guthrie’s brother, Camron, was the first to consider the idea that Nancy’s disappearance might be a crime.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping represents one of more than 80 reported missing persons cases in the Tucson, Arizona, area, and calls attention to families' ceaseless efforts to locate loved ones.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
That flashback thread unfolds against the twilight of British colonial rule, as the impending disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force’s Special Branch collides with the kidnapping of a prominent business tycoon, triggering a dangerous internal power struggle.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
The search, on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping, didn't yield any evidence or charges against the rapper, whose legal name is Joseph Foreman.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
When her favorite horror scribe gets into an accident near her home, Wilkes ends up kidnapping Sheldon, and the rest is movie history.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 5 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
In July 2006, demanding the release of Lebanese prisoners in Israel, Hezbollah fighters entered Israeli territory, kidnapping two Israeli soldiers and killing three.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnapping
Noun
-
Of cases that do involve abduction, the vast majority are committed by someone the child knows — often a parent in a custody dispute — rather than a stranger.—
Stephen Johnson,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Events leading up to the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard are set to be dramatized in a new two-part series for the BBC.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
31 Mar. 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
-
The 1991 movie stars Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, the one-time public defender who Cady haunts, blaming his long prison incarceration for rape on purposefully faulty defense tactics.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Some had their hands tied behind their backs, and others showed signs of torture or rape.—
Lorne Cook,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
