as in to kidnap
to carry away (as a person) forcibly or unlawfully
the gangsters planned to abduct the industrialist's young daughter and demand a huge ransom from her family
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Recent Examples of abduct
For example, in Ukraine, thousands of children were abducted and transferred to Russia, where they would be subjected to indoctrination at schools and forced adoptions by Russians.
—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
The first was about the experience of Koreans living under Japanese rule from 1910-1945, and the second was North Korea’s long-running, unchecked secret campaign to abduct people from the coast of Japan and relocate them against their will inside the communist nation.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 2 June 2025
The war in Gaza Israel’s war in Gaza began when Hamas stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250 others.
—Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
In February 2024, a former Venezuelan army lieutenant and vocal Maduro critic was abducted and killed in Chile.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abduct
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
The first was about the experience of Koreans living under Japanese rule from 1910-1945, and the second was North Korea’s long-running, unchecked secret campaign to abduct people from the coast of Japan and relocate them against their will inside the communist nation.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 2 June 2025
The war in Gaza Israel’s war in Gaza began when Hamas stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250 others.
—Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
In February 2024, a former Venezuelan army lieutenant and vocal Maduro critic was abducted and killed in Chile.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abduct
kidnap
Verb
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Chloe Pirrie in Dept. Q Justin Downing—Netflix Merritt was kidnapped and held within a hyperbaric chamber in remote Scotland for four years, and was long presumed dead before DCI Morck reopened the case.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2025
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What To Know Nine men were convicted in the plot to kidnap Whitmer.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abduct. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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