abduction

noun

ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce abduction (audio)
əb-
Synonyms of abduction
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 of abduction

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Examples of abduction in a Sentence

discredited reports of abductions by aliens
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Williams had allegedly conspired with three other individuals to fake his own abduction alongside hers, according to local reports of the incident. — Breaking News, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026 Sullivan cautioned that trafficking often looks very different from the abductions portrayed in movies. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Hanning came under scrutiny in a separate investigation into the abduction of Hamburg businesswoman Christina Block's children from her ex-husband in Denmark in January 2024 in a custody battle that had been going on for several years. — Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026 Yuba City detectives later arrested Childers on suspicion of several crimes, including child abduction, kidnapping, rape and contacting a child with intent to commit a specified offense. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abduction

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of abduction was in 1632

Rhymes for abduction

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Browse Nearby Words

abductee
abduction
abductive
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Cite this Entry

“Abduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abduction. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Legal Definition

abduction

noun
ab·​duc·​tion ab-ˈdək-shən, əb- How to pronounce abduction (audio)
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.

More from Merriam-Webster on abduction

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about abduction

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