kidnap

verb

ˈkid-ˌnap How to pronounce kidnap (audio)
Definition of kidnapnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kidnap The group said that 7,825 people were kidnapped in that time, a 66% increase from the previous year. — Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Police in Oakland made an arrest and recovered a weapon after officers said a woman was kidnapped in East Oakland on Tuesday. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Donald had been kidnapped, beaten and killed by klansmen in retaliation for the killing of a police officer – a crime Donald had no involvement in – and to intimidate Black jurors from ruling in favor of Black defendants. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 One of those holding out hope is kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted from her home at age 14 in 2002 and rescued nine months later. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kidnap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kidnap
abduct
Verb
  • John is then abducted by a group led by an alien named Antaan, who tells him about the Manhunters—ancient synthetic predecessors to the Green Lantern Corps capable of disguising themselves as other species.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The sci-fi thriller follows Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), a physics professor who is abducted into an alternate version of his life and must navigate the multiverse to find his way back to his family.
    — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of abduct

Browse Nearby Words

kid-gloved
kidnap
kidnapped
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Cite this Entry

“Kidnap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnap. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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