variants
also kidnaping
as in abduction
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of kidnapping
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Feb. 2026
More than a week after Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing from her Arizona home in a possible kidnapping, law enforcement brought a man in for questioning before releasing him.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
In the years since, Connecticut lawmakers have grappled with where, exactly, to draw the line when sentencing youth convicted of crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping or major drug-trafficking.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
The video appears to be the most compelling piece of evidence made public in the what many consider a highly unusual kidnapping.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Law enforcement detained a person of interest on Tuesday in connection with the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 11 Feb. 2026
Crypto highly traceable, experts say The latest kidnapping follows similar incidents in France linked to the world of cryptocurrency – either due to the individuals involved or the currency of the ransom.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
His stepfather, Julio Cartagena, 26, was a high-ranking Two Six gang member later killed in May 2003 during a botched kidnapping after allegedly stealing a large amount of cocaine.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
According to Massachusetts Parole Board documents, Phouthongseng was found guilty of second-degree murder and kidnapping in connection to the 1990 death of Daravanh Phachansiri.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Hall had been convicted of kidnapping 15-year-old Jessica Roach from Georgetown, Illinois, in September 1993.
—Audrey Abrahams, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Putin's decades-long rule in Russia has included allegedly orchestrating dozens of murders of dissidents like Alexei Navalny, using the country as his personal piggy bank and kidnapping thousands of Ukrainian children.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Mitchell, now 72, was convicted in 2010 of kidnapping Smart and sentenced to life in prison.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The extent of the brutal injuries that Quatisha suffered were at the center of medical testimony presented in the ongoing death-penalty resentencing of Harrel Braddy, who was convicted almost two decades ago of killing Quatisha after kidnapping the girl and her mother.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Mitchell was convicted in 2010 of kidnapping Smart and sentenced to life in prison.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Faced with the sudden loss of millions of dollars in income, the cartels pivoted in the months after the election to kidnapping residents of Juárez.
—Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Two teenage girls are charged with kidnapping a teenage boy after allegedly luring him into a basement and beating him for three hours in early November.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
And one of those things is what the suspect in the kidnapping looks like.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Feb. 2026
More than a week after Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing from her Arizona home in a possible kidnapping, law enforcement brought a man in for questioning before releasing him.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
In the years since, Connecticut lawmakers have grappled with where, exactly, to draw the line when sentencing youth convicted of crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping or major drug-trafficking.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
The video appears to be the most compelling piece of evidence made public in the what many consider a highly unusual kidnapping.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Law enforcement detained a person of interest on Tuesday in connection with the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 11 Feb. 2026
Crypto highly traceable, experts say The latest kidnapping follows similar incidents in France linked to the world of cryptocurrency – either due to the individuals involved or the currency of the ransom.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
His stepfather, Julio Cartagena, 26, was a high-ranking Two Six gang member later killed in May 2003 during a botched kidnapping after allegedly stealing a large amount of cocaine.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
According to Massachusetts Parole Board documents, Phouthongseng was found guilty of second-degree murder and kidnapping in connection to the 1990 death of Daravanh Phachansiri.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Northern Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis featuring Islamic militants and armed gangs kidnapping people for ransom, a challenge that President Bola Tinubu has struggled to address since he was elected in 2023 after promising to end the crisis.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Hall had been convicted of kidnapping 15-year-old Jessica Roach from Georgetown, Illinois, in September 1993.
—Audrey Abrahams, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Putin's decades-long rule in Russia has included allegedly orchestrating dozens of murders of dissidents like Alexei Navalny, using the country as his personal piggy bank and kidnapping thousands of Ukrainian children.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Mitchell, now 72, was convicted in 2010 of kidnapping Smart and sentenced to life in prison.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The extent of the brutal injuries that Quatisha suffered were at the center of medical testimony presented in the ongoing death-penalty resentencing of Harrel Braddy, who was convicted almost two decades ago of killing Quatisha after kidnapping the girl and her mother.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Mitchell was convicted in 2010 of kidnapping Smart and sentenced to life in prison.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Faced with the sudden loss of millions of dollars in income, the cartels pivoted in the months after the election to kidnapping residents of Juárez.
—Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Two teenage girls are charged with kidnapping a teenage boy after allegedly luring him into a basement and beating him for three hours in early November.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnapping
Noun
-
In the days following her abduction, the NBC anchor and her siblings have issued various emotional pleas for her return, offering to pay after unverified ransom notes were sent to several media organizations.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Rocha also referred to the abduction of a group of Mexican tourists from Mazatlan last week.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Another Jefferson County circuit judge, Jessica Green, last year drew local and national criticism after granting shock probation to a 32-year-old man accused of abducting a mother and two children and stabbing the mother during a bank robbery.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Five days later, she was found alive – and authorities arrested a local suspect who was familiar with the family and her grandson’s construction company, abducting her to get $3 million ransom.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On his phone, customs agents discovered messages encouraging extreme violence, rape, Nazism and self-harm.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Yet, the show also didn't shy away from tough, sometimes controversial subject matter, including rape, addiction, and child loss.—
Amy Wilkinson,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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