as in to abduct
to carry away (as a person) forcibly or unlawfully
the child of the wealthy industrialist was kidnapped and held for ransom
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Recent Examples of kidnap
Niger state is also a hot spot for gunmen who kidnap for ransom and impose taxes on farming communities.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
In 1841, John Quincy Adams, a President turned congressman and Supreme Court advocate, appeared before the Court, seeking the freedom of people kidnapped from Africa who mutinied en route to America on the slave ship Amistad.
—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
2 July 2026
In late June 2026, multiple outlets reported that three ransom notes were sent just days after Guthrie went missing, one of which claimed the 84-year-old woman died shortly after she was kidnapped.
—
Allison Degrushe,
StyleCaster,
2 July 2026
Just one day later, Tewkesbury's mother, Lady Tewkesbury (Morahan) also gets kidnapped.
—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for kidnap
ABC News,
2 July 2026
In 1841, John Quincy Adams, a President turned congressman and Supreme Court advocate, appeared before the Court, seeking the freedom of people kidnapped from Africa who mutinied en route to America on the slave ship Amistad.
—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
2 July 2026
In late June 2026, multiple outlets reported that three ransom notes were sent just days after Guthrie went missing, one of which claimed the 84-year-old woman died shortly after she was kidnapped.
—
Allison Degrushe,
StyleCaster,
2 July 2026
Just one day later, Tewkesbury's mother, Lady Tewkesbury (Morahan) also gets kidnapped.
—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for kidnap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnap
abduct
Verb
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Walker was abducted, raped, tortured and murdered after attending a Valentine’s Day dance with her boyfriend.
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In February 2023, Egianus Kogoya, a regional commander in the Free Papua Movement, abducted Philip Mark Mehrtens, a pilot from Christchurch, New Zealand, who was working for Indonesian aviation company Susi Air.
Cite this Entry
“Kidnap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnap. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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