as in kidnaped
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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as in kidnapped
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Recent Examples of abducted
Irwin Redlener, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
The Amber Alert plan in Michigan began in 2001 and is a partnership between law enforcement and the media to immediately disseminate information to the public about an abducted child using the Emergency Alert System.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Columbia Heights police said Wednesday evening, hours after an Amber Alert went out, that an abducted infant and her mother were found safe in Minneapolis.
—Kathryn Kovalenko, Twin Cities, 6 Aug. 2025
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and led to 251 being abducted.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
In the following months, they were seized at bus and train stations, beaten at a hospital and abducted by ambulance.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
The Israeli government says 47 hostages abducted by Hamas and its allies on October 7, 2023 are still in Gaza, including 27 who are believed to be dead.
—Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.
—Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The film follows skilled martial artist Wang Wei, whose daughter Rainy is abducted by a child trafficking ring.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
The thousands of Ukrainian children abducted since Russia’s invasion began 3½ years ago are once again at the forefront of international discussions as NATO leaders convened to discuss the war.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Peterson has maintained that Laci was abducted by burglars.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
The United States, Europe, and every nation that claims to stand for law and justice must continue to insist on the return of abducted children as a nonnegotiable precondition for any settlement.
—Irwin Redlener, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
The Amber Alert plan in Michigan began in 2001 and is a partnership between law enforcement and the media to immediately disseminate information to the public about an abducted child using the Emergency Alert System.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Columbia Heights police said Wednesday evening, hours after an Amber Alert went out, that an abducted infant and her mother were found safe in Minneapolis.
—Kathryn Kovalenko, Twin Cities, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
When one of his old enemies resurfaces and his daughter is abducted, the movie turns into a game of cat and mouse with car chases aplenty as well as the involvement of militias and mysterious organizations.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and led to 251 being abducted.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
In the following months, they were seized at bus and train stations, beaten at a hospital and abducted by ambulance.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
The Israeli government says 47 hostages abducted by Hamas and its allies on October 7, 2023 are still in Gaza, including 27 who are believed to be dead.
—Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.
—Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The film follows skilled martial artist Wang Wei, whose daughter Rainy is abducted by a child trafficking ring.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
The thousands of Ukrainian children abducted since Russia’s invasion began 3½ years ago are once again at the forefront of international discussions as NATO leaders convened to discuss the war.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Peterson has maintained that Laci was abducted by burglars.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abducted
kidnapped
Verb
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The limited series depicts Hamas‘ 2023 surprise attack which killed 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and kidnapped 251 others.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Sep. 2025
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In September 2022, schoolteacher Eliza Fletcher was kidnapped during an early morning run, and her body was later found near a vacant duplex.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abducted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abducted. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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