abscond

American  

[ab-skond] / æbˈskɒnd /

verb (used without object)

• absconds,
  present (3rd person singular)
• absconded,
  past participle,  past
• absconding
  present participle

1. 

   to depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution.

   The cashier absconded with the money.

   Synonyms:

   bolt, decamp

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abscond British  

/ əbˈskɒnd /

verb

1. (intr) to run away secretly, esp from an open institution or to avoid prosecution or punishment

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Usage

What does abscond mean? Abscond means to leave secretly and suddenly, especially to avoid being caught, punished, or put on trial. The word typically implies that someone has left because they have done something wrong and want to avoid any consequences. Criminals abscond to get away with their crimes. A more informal term for abscond is make one’s getaway. Abscond is often followed by the word with and the thing that the person has absconded with, such as the things they’ve stolen, as in It’s too late—he’s already absconded with the diamond!In a legal context, abscond is often used to mean that someone has left to avoid prosecution or legal proceedings that have already begun. Abscond is sometimes used in a humorous way to liken someone to a criminal, as in Jeff absconded with the rest of the doughnuts or The dog absconded with my cheeseburger. A person who absconds can be called an absconder or an abscondee. Example: The thieves absconded with the loot before the authorities arrived at the scene.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• absconder
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• absconding
  present
• absconded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• abscond
  simple
• absconds
  simple
• have absconded
  perfect
• has absconded
  perfect
• am absconding
  progressive
• are absconding
  progressive
• is absconding
  progressive
• have been absconding
  perfect progressive
• has been absconding
  perfect progressive

Past

• absconded
  simple
• had absconded
  perfect
• was absconding
  progressive
• were absconding
  progressive
• had been absconding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will abscond
  simple
• will have absconded
  perfect
• will be absconding
  progressive
• will have been absconding
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of abscond

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin abscondere “to hide or stow away,” equivalent to abs- abs- + condere “to stow” ( con- con- + -dere “to put”; see do ¹)

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Explanation

Abscond is to escape, often taking something along. As a kid, you may have absconded from your lemonade stand — with the coffee can of cash in hand, and your bewildered sister still filling cups for your customers. Abscond is generally used to describe someone running from law or capture, and the word abscond has been in use since the early 16th century — running away and hiding being nothing new. Dogs who get off the leash and dart into the woods are not necessarily absconding; they are simply making a break for it. On the other hand, the Ponzi schemer who went to live in the South of France with his client's money? He absconded.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

abscond absconds absconded absconding

The Man of Steel combats gigantic robots programmed to abscond with jewels and other valuables and then take to the air to return to their mad-genius minder.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

His house was encumbered with liens and he’d sold a “prop plane” that prosecutors cited when arguing he was a risk to abscond, Maitia said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2025

It’s a far cry from the sleek criminals of streaming series, who seldom budge from their computers and abscond with millions and billions thanks to a few clicks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2025

Miss Powell was awaiting specialist treatment, and was known for previous attempts to abscond.

From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2024

A first-rate Russian might easily abscond to the more affluent West.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

She said the rate of absconds was "coming down substantially", with 57 cases in the year ending March 2025 compared to 143 in the year ending March 2020.

From BBC ● Jan. 5, 2026

He absconds and leaves four robots adrift, but with aid from unhoused human “robles,” they reconfigure the joint as a ramen shop — until robophobes launch a campaign to shut them down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2025

Now on view in a mostly sleek Mosaic Theater Company production, “Fabulation” tells of Undine, an African American PR bigwig whose world unravels after her husband absconds with her money.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 28, 2019

Rather than discarding the series’ dated gender dynamics, Odyssey at first appears to speed-run right into them: Bowser, Mario’s Godzilla-like nemesis for more than 30 years, absconds with Princess Peach in order to marry her.

From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2017

“Because some boys when they absconds, makes mistakes, and takes what isn’t theirs.”

From The Story of Antony Grace by George Manville Fenn

Police and the Prison Service have appealed directly to Anderson to hand himself in after he absconded on Monday, while the public have been advised not to approach him.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Anderson was released from Maghaberry Prison on Monday to attend his father's funeral, but absconded from his court-approved chaperone.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

He had reportedly absconded after Twisha's death and was arrested by police in Jabalpur on 22 May.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

Last year, North Koreans absconded with $1.5 billion from crypto exchange Bybit, the largest crypto heist ever.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

Cora spoke of her mother, Mabel, who absconded one day and left her to the inconstant mercy of the world.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Speaking on Monday, Long apologised to the family of Karol Kelly and acknowledged the impact Anderson's release and subsequent absconding from prison has had.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

In the 1940s, for example, he sets out to collect scrap iron for the war effort and ends up absconding with a private collection of military memorabilia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Exactly how the situation transpired is something, even 14 years on, Ngake is reluctant to discuss, but she is open about the impact of absconding.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

But was it an egregious, personal error, akin to Totenberg stealing into Alito’s hotel room and absconding with an internal organ, as it has been widely treated?

From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026

In addition to absconding with twenty-five thousand dollars and giving Milton false hopes of my return, Father Mike was abandoning his own family.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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