abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən 

əb-

1

: the action of abducting : the condition of being abducted

2

archaic : the unlawful carrying away of a woman for marriage or sexual intercourse

Synonyms

• hijacking
• highjacking
• kidnapping
• kidnaping
• rape
• snatch [slang]

Examples of abduction in a Sentence

discredited reports of abductions by aliens

Recent Examples on the Web

For about half of those cases, optional criteria were used to help classify a person’s disappearance as an abduction or voluntary, according to an NCIC report. —Amanda Musa, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024

Court records obtained by FOX 4 Kansas City state that Malone contacted Barry County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday, November 25, to report Lewis’ possible abduction. —Stepheny Price, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024

The war was sparked by Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and resulted in the abduction of 250 hostages, many of whom remain in Gaza. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024

Teen escapes 12 years after abduction; school bus driver arrested 8 killed in mass shooting at strip mall in cartel stronghold Former My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar dead at 44 2024 National Dog Show won by Vito the pug. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin abdūctiōn-, abdūctiō "withdrawal, removal, allurement," from Latin abdūcere "to lead away" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abduct

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən, əb- 

1

a

: the action of abducting

abduction of a robbery victim

b

: the tort or felony of abducting a person

2

: the unlawful carrying away of a wife or female child or ward for the purpose of marriage or sexual intercourse

Note: Sense 2 has its roots in common law. As statutorily defined, mainly in the nineteenth century, abduction was generally stated to include taking away or detention of a woman under a certain age, usually 16 or 18, with or without her consent or knowledge of her age.