abduction

¹ American  

[ab-duhk-shuhn] / æbˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

1. act of abducting.

2. the state of being abducted.

3. Law. the illegal carrying or enticing away of a person, especially by interfering with a relationship, such as the taking of a child from their parent.

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abduction ² American  

[ab-duhk-shuhn] / æbˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

Logic.

1. a syllogism whose major premise is certain but whose minor premise is probable.

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abduction British  

/ æbˈdʌkʃən /

noun

1. the act of taking someone away by force or cunning; kidnapping

2. the action of certain muscles in pulling a leg, arm, etc away from the median axis of the body

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Etymology

Origin of abduction¹

First recorded in 1620–30; abduct + -ion

Origin of abduction²

First recorded in 1690–1700, abduction is from the New Latin word abductiōn- (stem of abductiō; translation of Greek apagōgḗ ). See abduct, -ion

Example Sentences

Savannah Guthrie will appear Thursday on NBC’s “Today” for the first time since the Feb. 1 abduction of her mother.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

The most straightforward, and successful, parts recount the 1836 abduction of a Mexican rancher’s wife named Camila by an Apache band led by the larger-than-life chieftain Mangas Coloradas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

The CQC reports also said there were "continued breaches in relation to baby and infant abduction" policies, with staff unaware of when a test for a possible abduction incident had taken place.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Nanos said the department is examining video from area homes of a car driving around the time of the abduction, but no vehicles have been linked to the crime at this point.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

The Mexica reacted to the sacrilegious abduction of their leader with the same baffled horror with which Europeans later reacted to Cromwell’s execution of Charles I in 1649.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• kidnapping
• rape
• seizure
• theft