Synonyms of kidnapping

kidnapping 1 of 2

noun

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

• abduction
• rape
• hijacking
• snatch
• seizure
• impressment
• shanghaiing

kidnapping

2 of 2

verb

variants also kidnaping

present participle of kidnap

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

• abducting
• capturing
• seizing
• snatching
• running off with
• making off with
• hijacking
• stealing
• crimping
• making away with
• waylaying
• impressing
• spiriting
• shanghaiing
• absconding (with)
• taking
• catching
• copping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rescuing
• delivering
• returning
• ransoming
• restoring
• redeeming

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of kidnapping

Noun

One of the three Vallejo men considered suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Avtar Singh has been arrested, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said on Saturday. — CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026

So far, authorities have not identified the perpetrators of Almaraz’s kidnapping. — Alfredo Peña, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

Stayner first became notable as the older brother of Steven Stayner, who escaped a 1972 kidnapping in 1980. — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026

Davis received the death penalty in 1996 for brutally kidnapping and killing 12-year-old Polly Klaas in 1993, after he had been released following convictions for other violent crimes. — Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026

He was later convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in connection with a 2007 confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2026

He’d previously been convicted in 1976 for the kidnapping and assault of 18-year-old Carol DaRonch before escaping — twice. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026

The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of a man who allegedly participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin, according to court records. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026

Police had also received 911 calls from a man at the scene of the kidnapping. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026

Verb

Michael McCoy, 34, is charged with kidnapping the woman and holding her for three days. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026

Buchanan, 72, had been incarcerated since 2004 for kidnapping a convict who was harassing a corrupt prison guard. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

The North has previously reacted with fury to high-profile defections by its citizens, sometimes accusing South Korea of kidnapping them. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Determined to win her back, Ralph devises a crazy plan involving kidnapping the former child star of his favorite Christmas movie. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

In the eighteen-seventies, after thieves began kidnapping bank managers, James Sargent invented the first commercially successful time lock. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Another section describes the government’s response to protests in 2014, when the government says Maduro discussed kidnapping military officers suspected of disloyalty and using torture to force them to reveal information about potential plots. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is increasing the reward for an Atlanta man accused of kidnapping a driver at gunpoint on Interstate 20. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Jacob Fatu tried to get his family to simmer down and wait for the right moment to strike, but for him, kidnapping Sikoa was the last straw. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026