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
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Recent Examples of kidnapping
Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Officers arrested Devin Watton, 32, on April 10, according to a Boise Police Department news release, and he was later arraigned on suspicion of a pair of felonies, rape and first-degree kidnapping.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2026
Fieramusca was originally charged with capital murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of tampering with a corpse.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Earlier on Wednesday, prosecutors announced charges against three adults — Christopher Alan Hull, 23; Hunter Tyne Ames, 19; and Alayna Leann Mason, 20 — for first-degree kidnapping.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
The mayor of Uruapan, the capital of Mexico’s rich but violent avocado country, Manzo led police down dark alleys in search of kidnapping victims and combed hillsides for cartel training camps.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
On one hand are jihadi groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Lakurawa, and on the other are amorphous, criminal groups that specialize in kidnapping for ransom.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 16 May 2026
Schools as a grassroots power base also helps explain why the people of Minneapolis were able to mount a disciplined and effective defense against ICE when its agents began kidnapping their children on their way to and from school.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Tanner Horner, the former FedEx driver who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Athena Strand, was sentenced to death Tuesday afternoon on the 17th day of his capital murder trial in Tarrant County.
—Harriet Ramos
may 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2026
The Chapitos helped Rocha Moya, who has been governor since November 2021, get elected by stealing ballots, as well as kidnapping and intimidating opponents, the document said.
—Tom Winter, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office is requesting the state Supreme Court to review a ruling that overturned the conviction of the man found guilty of murdering and kidnapping Sierra LaMar in 2012.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
He is also accused of kidnapping the granddaughter of one of his victims, who was just 7 months old at the time.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Barzee pleaded guilty to kidnapping Smart and served six years of a 15-year sentence in federal prison before being released in 2018.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Kataib Hezbollah has been accused of kidnapping other foreigners.
—Todd Richmond, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
After the October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel by Hamas and the kidnapping of 251 people to Gaza, Ben-Gvir took a series of inflammatory measures that worsened conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
—Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Officers arrested Devin Watton, 32, on April 10, according to a Boise Police Department news release, and he was later arraigned on suspicion of a pair of felonies, rape and first-degree kidnapping.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2026
Fieramusca was originally charged with capital murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of tampering with a corpse.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Earlier on Wednesday, prosecutors announced charges against three adults — Christopher Alan Hull, 23; Hunter Tyne Ames, 19; and Alayna Leann Mason, 20 — for first-degree kidnapping.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
The mayor of Uruapan, the capital of Mexico’s rich but violent avocado country, Manzo led police down dark alleys in search of kidnapping victims and combed hillsides for cartel training camps.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
On one hand are jihadi groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Lakurawa, and on the other are amorphous, criminal groups that specialize in kidnapping for ransom.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Verb
The article described a wealthy Bogotá family kidnapping their housekeeper under the pretext of protecting her through strict safety protocols.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 16 May 2026
Schools as a grassroots power base also helps explain why the people of Minneapolis were able to mount a disciplined and effective defense against ICE when its agents began kidnapping their children on their way to and from school.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Tanner Horner, the former FedEx driver who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Athena Strand, was sentenced to death Tuesday afternoon on the 17th day of his capital murder trial in Tarrant County.
—Harriet Ramos
may 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2026
The Chapitos helped Rocha Moya, who has been governor since November 2021, get elected by stealing ballots, as well as kidnapping and intimidating opponents, the document said.
—Tom Winter, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office is requesting the state Supreme Court to review a ruling that overturned the conviction of the man found guilty of murdering and kidnapping Sierra LaMar in 2012.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
He is also accused of kidnapping the granddaughter of one of his victims, who was just 7 months old at the time.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Barzee pleaded guilty to kidnapping Smart and served six years of a 15-year sentence in federal prison before being released in 2018.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Kataib Hezbollah has been accused of kidnapping other foreigners.
—Todd Richmond, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnapping
Noun
-
The Arizona sheriff leading local investigative efforts in the apparent abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has shared an update on how much communication is happening between law enforcement and Savannah Guthrie's family.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
-
Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with over 300 children taken in the northern region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Emmanuel Fremiet won a medal from the Paris Salon in 1887 for his large sculpture of a gorilla abducting a white woman.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
18 May 2026
-
She was charged with abducting a child under the age of 12 and abduction of a child by a relative.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Married at First Sight franchise has been left reeling by allegations of rape from a group of ex-contestants in a new BBC Panorama investigation.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
-
The series will include guests such as Gisèle Pelicot, the French woman who waived her right to anonymity in one of the most horrifying rape cases in history to stand in solidarity with fellow victims.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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