variants
also kidnaping
as in hijacking
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal
an alert system for the prompt reporting of juvenile kidnappings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
variants
also kidnaping
as in abducting
to carry away (as a person) forcibly or unlawfully
the child of the wealthy industrialist was kidnapped and held for ransom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnapping
Verb
-
The war, which has reduced much of the coastal enclave to rubble, began when thousands of Hamas operatives crossed into Israel, killing and abducting hundreds.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2025 -
The continuing attacks have been accompanied by the burning of buildings and a rise in kidnappings, with gang suspected of abducting people to use as human shields against police drone attacks.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
An abduction must have occurred, the child must be at risk of serious injury or death, and there has to be descriptive information about the child, the suspect or the suspect's vehicle.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip began in October 2023, in response to the terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas in Southern Israel on Oct. 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 people.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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