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

Her abduction held Spain in suspense for 900 days before her body was found in September 1995. —Jordana Comiter, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024

The festival has toned down the bling in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, sparked by the latter’s October 7 attack on southern Israel which killed more than 1,100 people, and resulted in the abduction of 253 people. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024

Since walking away as the sole survivor of Angela Adams’ multiple abductions, Julian Carson has been trying to put his violent past behind him. —Sarene Leeds, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024

Her abduction from her home in late 1972 is the opening scene of Say Nothing, and the mystery surrounding her disappearance and execution, as well as the long-unknown location of her body, is the thread connecting all of the series’ narrative strands. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Nov. 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.