abscond
verb (used without object)
to depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution.
absconded
-
past participleof abscond.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof abscond.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
abscondverb (used without object)to depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution.
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.
He was on temporary release from prison to attend his father's funeral when he absconded.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Anderson was released from Maghaberry Prison to attend the funeral, but absconded from his court-approved civilian chaperone.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Shortly after Khalife absconded from prison, at around 20:41 BST, Khan messaged his then-girlfriend Chowdhury's bank details and told her to "put 120£ in this ac… please thank u baby".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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
The nostalgia is the stronger and the more ambiguous because he is really ‘in quest of his own absconded self yet scared to find it’.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
