abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən 

əb-

1

: the action of abducting : the condition of being abducted

2

archaic : the unlawful carrying away of a woman for marriage or sexual intercourse

Synonyms of abduction

• kidnapping
• rape

Examples of abduction in a Sentence

discredited reports of abductions by aliens

Recent Examples on the Web

By standing and moving the leg out to the side, called hip abduction, this muscle gets activated and strengthened over time. — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 30 Oct. 2026

Sarah Kimani, Amnesty International’s media manager, told the AP in a January interview that the organization’s research documents summary executions, torture, abductions and rape by both government forces and the OLA. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Other theories about Madeleine’s disappearance include a botched robbery that resulted in her murder or an abduction by human traffickers. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026

The 1997 abduction and killing of Levi Frady inspired Georgia law enforcement officials to create Levi's Call, the state's version of the Amber Alert, in the hopes that no other child will be harmed. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin abdūctiōn-, abdūctiō "withdrawal, removal, allurement," from Latin abdūcere "to lead away" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abduct

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for abduction

• adduction
• conduction
• construction
• deduction
• destruction
• eduction
• induction
• instruction
• obstruction
• production
• reduction
• seduction

Legal Definition

abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən, əb- 

1

a

: the action of abducting

abduction of a robbery victim

b

: the tort or felony of abducting a person

2

: the unlawful carrying away of a wife or female child or ward for the purpose of marriage or sexual intercourse

Note: Sense 2 has its roots in common law. As statutorily defined, mainly in the nineteenth century, abduction was generally stated to include taking away or detention of a woman under a certain age, usually 16 or 18, with or without her consent or knowledge of her age.