kidnapping 1 of 2

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

kidnapping

2 of 2

verb

variants also kidnaping
present participle of kidnap

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
  • In New York City, they are called to investigate the abduction of six newborns from a private hospital.
    Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • Tennessee averages 500 to 600 missing children a month, many due to parental abductions or runaways, TBI says.
    Liz Kellar, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kidnapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kidnapping. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on kidnapping

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!