abduct
Americanverb (used with object)
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to carry off or lead away (a person) illegally and in secret or by force, especially to kidnap.
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Physiology. to move or draw away from the axis of the body or limb (opposed to adduct).
verb
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to remove (a person) by force or cunning; kidnap
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(of certain muscles) to pull (a leg, arm, etc) away from the median axis of the body Compare adduct
Other Word Forms
- abductor noun
- unabducted adjective
Etymology
Origin of abduct
1825–35; < Latin abductus, past participle of abdūcere to abduce
Compare meaning
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Explanation
To abduct someone is to commit the crime of kidnapping person and holding them for ransom. Being abducted is one of the worst things that can happen to you. Fortunately, it's very rare. To abduct is to kidnap — to take someone against their will and imprison them. After an abduction, the abductors (kidnappers) may send a ransom note, asking for money.
Vocabulary lists containing abduct
Lead the Way: Duc and Duct
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And hey, did you know that the word “raptor”—which is often used to describe birds of prey—comes from the Latin verb rapio, which means to plunder, rob, ravish, or abduct?
From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026
The Pet Abduction Bill, brought forward by Conservative MP Anna Firth, will make it a specific offence to abduct a pet in England and Northern Ireland.
From BBC • Mar. 2, 2024
The first attempt to abduct Dot, for example, closely mirrors the sequence in the Coens’ “Fargo” where Jean Lundegaard has her morning routine disrupted by intruders, though Dot proves far more capable of defending herself.
From New York Times • Dec. 5, 2023
I wouldn’t go so far to saying I hope aliens abduct them, but I’m not not saying that.
From Scientific American • May 23, 2023
“Unless the aliens abduct me again, we’re all going to die in a couple of weeks.”
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
