as in kidnappings
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal
discredited reports of abductions by aliens
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Recent Examples of abductions
In the last year, there were more than 49,000 cases of abductions and kidnappings in the United States, according to FBI data.
—
Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Kidnappings and abductions of this sort—high profile, with a possible ransom—are relatively rare in the United States; missing persons reports more often involve runaways or parental abductions in custody cases.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 7 Feb. 2026
In most abductions, there's a clear ransom demand.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The Minneapolis show coincided with a general strike being called by activists across the country that caused many workers and students to walk out in protest of the ICE abductions continuing to happen nationally.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026
The book is about a kidnapping scheme where the victim’s parents must kidnap another child to secure their own child’s release, creating a self-perpetuating chain of abductions.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
In one of the largest mass abductions targeting religious worship centers in the West African nation in recent months, the attackers on Sunday raided three different churches in Kaduna state's Kajuru council area, seizing 177 people before 11 managed to escape.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Jan. 2026
Composite sketches of a suspect were released after some witnesses, under hypnosis, claimed to have seen a man at the site of the Tim King abductions but those leads did not materialize.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Following her death, North Texas broadcasters and law enforcement created a rapid public notification system designed to enlist the public’s help during child abductions.
—Dallas Morning News, 13 Jan. 2026
Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Kidnappings and abductions of this sort—high profile, with a possible ransom—are relatively rare in the United States; missing persons reports more often involve runaways or parental abductions in custody cases.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 7 Feb. 2026
In most abductions, there's a clear ransom demand.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The Minneapolis show coincided with a general strike being called by activists across the country that caused many workers and students to walk out in protest of the ICE abductions continuing to happen nationally.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026
The book is about a kidnapping scheme where the victim’s parents must kidnap another child to secure their own child’s release, creating a self-perpetuating chain of abductions.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
In one of the largest mass abductions targeting religious worship centers in the West African nation in recent months, the attackers on Sunday raided three different churches in Kaduna state's Kajuru council area, seizing 177 people before 11 managed to escape.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Jan. 2026
Composite sketches of a suspect were released after some witnesses, under hypnosis, claimed to have seen a man at the site of the Tim King abductions but those leads did not materialize.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Following her death, North Texas broadcasters and law enforcement created a rapid public notification system designed to enlist the public’s help during child abductions.
—Dallas Morning News, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abductions
Noun
-
In the '30s, when the Lindbergh baby was abducted, kidnappings and ransoms were so common that high-profile people often secured kidnapping insurance.—
Kase Wickman,
Vanity Fair,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Columbus, Ohio, saw dramatic drops in every category, including rapes, down to 678 last year from 1,116 in 2024.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The four rapes allegedly took place in 2018, 2023 and 2024, the last one after the police investigation began.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abductions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abductions. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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