as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
the burglar was trying to abscond with the jewels when he tumbled down the stairs
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Recent Examples of abscond
In early-1970s Framingham, Massachusetts, taciturn family man James (Josh O’Connor) makes the rash, largely inscrutable decision to orchestrate a heist at the local art museum, absconding with a selection of modern paintings—without much of a plan.
—
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
The Hallfords then absconded to Oklahoma but were arrested in November 2023.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
The older brother, Obed, had a beautiful daughter and a beautiful, young ex-wife, both of whom had left him, absconding to the West Coast.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Becky Lynch hit the ring, but Lyra absconded her kendo stick.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abscond
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
The Hallfords then absconded to Oklahoma but were arrested in November 2023.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
The older brother, Obed, had a beautiful daughter and a beautiful, young ex-wife, both of whom had left him, absconding to the West Coast.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Becky Lynch hit the ring, but Lyra absconded her kendo stick.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abscond
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abscond
Verb
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In this week's PEOPLE cover story, Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, sets the record straight on the conspiracies that the King of Rock 'n' Roll is still alive and faked his death at age 42 in 1977, in order to escape fame.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
20 Sep. 2025
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West Ham United is aiming to escape the Premier League's relegation zone when an undefeated Crystal Palace visits the London Stadium on Saturday.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Following its defeat by Communist Party forces in the Chinese Civil War, the Chinese Nationalist movement, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to the island in 1949 as a government in exile.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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In six months, the site has grown from 600 people fleeing gang attacks in nearby Delmas 30 to 5,000 people from all over the capital, sheltering in packed government offices and makeshift shacks.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Heading into spring break this year, airlines were flying fewer seats than in the previous spring, and the downward trend continues.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
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Passengers wanting to fly the MJ500 regional aircraft will need some patience.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abscond.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abscond. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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