as in kidnapped
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as in captured
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 abducted
ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Savannah Guthrie is making a last-minute plea for help in finding her abducted mother, Nancy Guthrie.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 9 Feb. 2026
According to a criminal complaint, in December, the mother of the abducted girl had an unusual encounter with Bragg on Facebook.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
In response to Amber's heart-wrenching case, a Texas mom named Diana Simone had the idea to create an emergency system for abducted children, similar to a weather or civil defense alert.
—Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The 38 abducted worshipers were freed almost a week later.
—Rachel Wolf , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Based on the Arsène Lupin character Maurice Leblanc created in the early 1900s, the series initially followed Assane’s revenge mission against the Pellegrini family who wronged his father, before morphing into a search for his abducted son and then on to his mission to steal the Black Pearl.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2025
The remaining 130 schoolchildren kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State in November have been released, a presidential spokesman said on Sunday, confirming that all abducted pupils are now free.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
Cheery and resolute Vault 33 dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell) left her underground home to find her abducted father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), and in doing so realized the difficulty of living by the golden rule in a world that’s defined by ruthlessness and want.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
In January 2025, a gang in France abducted a crypto firm’s co-founder and his wife, cut off one of the man’s fingers, and held the pair ransom under demands for funds from the company.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
That war was triggered when the Mad King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen, seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark, who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
—Ryan Brennan
april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
The whole conflict was triggered when the Mad King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding), seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi), who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
—Ryan Brennan
april 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2026
The conflict was triggered when the Mad King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding), seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi), who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
—Ryan Brennan
april 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Those who do speak out risk being abducted, imprisoned or drafted into the army.
—Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Last year, the ADF killed 66 people and abducted several more in a neighboring area.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Guthrie was abducted in the early hours of February 1 from her house in Tucson, Arizona.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The African Union, which includes 55 member states on the continent, condemned the attack Sunday and called for the release of abducted women and children.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Savannah Guthrie is making a last-minute plea for help in finding her abducted mother, Nancy Guthrie.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 9 Feb. 2026
According to a criminal complaint, in December, the mother of the abducted girl had an unusual encounter with Bragg on Facebook.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
In response to Amber's heart-wrenching case, a Texas mom named Diana Simone had the idea to create an emergency system for abducted children, similar to a weather or civil defense alert.
—Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The 38 abducted worshipers were freed almost a week later.
—Rachel Wolf , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Based on the Arsène Lupin character Maurice Leblanc created in the early 1900s, the series initially followed Assane’s revenge mission against the Pellegrini family who wronged his father, before morphing into a search for his abducted son and then on to his mission to steal the Black Pearl.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2025
The remaining 130 schoolchildren kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State in November have been released, a presidential spokesman said on Sunday, confirming that all abducted pupils are now free.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
Cheery and resolute Vault 33 dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell) left her underground home to find her abducted father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), and in doing so realized the difficulty of living by the golden rule in a world that’s defined by ruthlessness and want.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
The development marks a significant shift from the assumptions that guided the early investigation, which for years centered on the possibility Plante had been abducted.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
In January 2025, a gang in France abducted a crypto firm’s co-founder and his wife, cut off one of the man’s fingers, and held the pair ransom under demands for funds from the company.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
That war was triggered when the Mad King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen, seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark, who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
—Ryan Brennan
april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
The whole conflict was triggered when the Mad King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding), seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi), who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
—Ryan Brennan
april 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2026
The conflict was triggered when the Mad King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding), seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi), who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
—Ryan Brennan
april 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Those who do speak out risk being abducted, imprisoned or drafted into the army.
—Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Last year, the ADF killed 66 people and abducted several more in a neighboring area.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Guthrie was abducted in the early hours of February 1 from her house in Tucson, Arizona.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abducted
kidnapped
Verb
-
Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will after finding blood near the doorstep of her home in the foothills outside Tucson.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The second part of the book takes place a week earlier, when Dawkins’ partner Grace is kidnapped and left in a dark, cold, room.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abducted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abducted. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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