kidnap
Americanverb (used with object)
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kidnaps,
present (3rd person singular)
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kidnapped,
past participle, past
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kidnaped,
past participle, past
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kidnapping,
present participle
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kidnaping
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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kidnapeenoun
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kidnapernoun
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kidnappeenoun
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kidnappernoun
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kidnappingnoun
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unkidnapedadjective
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unkidnappedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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kidnapsimple
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kidnapssimple
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have kidnapedperfect
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have kidnappedperfect
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has kidnapedperfect
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has kidnappedperfect
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am kidnapingprogressive
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am kidnappingprogressive
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are kidnapingprogressive
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are kidnappingprogressive
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is kidnapingprogressive
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is kidnappingprogressive
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have been kidnapingperfect progressive
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have been kidnappingperfect progressive
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has been kidnapingperfect progressive
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has been kidnappingperfect progressive
Past
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kidnapedsimple
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kidnappedsimple
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had kidnapedperfect
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had kidnappedperfect
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was kidnapingprogressive
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was kidnappingprogressive
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were kidnapingprogressive
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were kidnappingprogressive
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had been kidnapingperfect progressive
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had been kidnappingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of kidnap
Explanation
To kidnap is to steal a person, or to hold someone as a prisoner until a ransom is paid. The original meaning of kidnap, dating from the late seventeenth century, was "steal children to provide servants to the American colonies," from kid, "child," and nap, "snatch away." After the particularly notorious Lindberg baby kidnapping in 1932, the U.S. Congress passed a law allowing the FBI to investigate all kidnappings. Today the word kidnap includes all abductions, of both children and adults.
Vocabulary lists containing kidnap
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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.
See Examples For:
"I thought they were going to kidnap us. I ran to a taco stand to take cover with the people there," Medina told AFP.
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026
At the same time, bald eagles were rumored to sometimes kidnap human babies and fly away with them in their talons.
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2026
Beijing would seek to extradite or kidnap him if he were deported to a third country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
“They’re not going to kidnap my district here without a battle,” LaMalfa, 65, said Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2025
By the time I joined the guard, Ruth and the others had already known for ages about the plot to kidnap Miss Geraldine.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
After a murder of crows kidnaps her little brother, a young girl ventures into an enchanted forest filled with talking animals and other magical beings, where a looming war will decide everyone's fate.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026
When a Frenchman kidnaps a woman from the rival town, his mother and her fellow villagers react with outrage and indignation, less at the abduction itself than at his apparent interest in a German woman.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026
“Heretic,” the psychological thriller from A24 starring Hugh Grant as a fiendishly charming neighbor who kidnaps two young missionaries, took in $11 million, placing third.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2024
The Ramayana depicts the victory of Hindu god Ram over the demon king Ravana after the latter kidnaps his wife, Sita.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2023
Sarah and Jack and the clover elves are just about to celebrate their victory over the troll army when an ogre kidnaps Jack and sweeps him off to the hobgoblin king’s castle.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office identified the remains as that of Sharon Lee Gallegos, who was reported kidnaped on July 21, 1960, thanks to advanced DNA technology.
From Fox News ● Mar. 16, 2022
The multi-state search for her and the five-year search for who reportedly kidnaped her diverted resources from other cases, Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson said.
From Fox News ● Mar. 8, 2022
In Baltimore last week, the twosome said that they had been kidnaped by Kim Jong Il, 45, the son of North Korea's strongman Kim Il Sung, 74.
From Time Magazine Archive
When Duarte struck a deal with the rebels for the release of his kidnaped daughter in October 1985, his relations with some top officers suffered.
From Time Magazine Archive
I am not the vulgar intriguer you suppose—I merely kidnaped that charming——" "If you refuse," interrupted Winifred with basilisk eyes, "I shall ring for Forbes and have you turned out of the house at once.
From The Gay Adventure A Romance by Richard Bird
In February, the guards rescued former vice-presidential candidate and Indigenous leader Aida Quilcue, who was kidnapped and held for several hours by guerrillas in Cauca.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
He has described himself as a "prisoner of war" and said the US military kidnapped him.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The court heard that Tajzai, an Afghan asylum seeker, wrongly believed Sherzad belonged to the Taliban, which had kidnapped his father and was suspected of killing him.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The “Today” show co-host during Tuesday’s broadcast shared a desperate message to those who kidnapped 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie from her Tuscon home in February.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
“Like he got bumped on the head and forgot who he was. Or he was kidnapped by aliens.”
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
Pankey’s attorney, Anthony Viorst, countered that prosecutors’ circumstantial evidence, Pankey’s overbearing personality and his obsession with “true crime” mysteries is not enough to convict him of kidnaping and murder.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2021
The Foleys also said some responsibility lies with American members of the media who failed to continue reporting on Foley's kidnaping, letting it fall out of the news cycle.
From US News ● Feb. 26, 2015
Until the kidnaping, Aquino had ignored the Muslim separatist problem in Mindanao.
From Time Magazine Archive
Both women had told police complex kidnaping stories.
From Time Magazine Archive
He had never been quite sure about Major de Coverley, either, who, when he was not away renting apartments or kidnaping foreign laborers, had nothing more pressing to do than pitch horseshoes.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
They have rescued kidnapping victims, searched for children recruited by armed groups, and even protected forests from deforestation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
"We still have time to avoid this. Return our four compatriots to us alive, without any harm, and everything will go back to how it was before the kidnapping," he wrote.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
He added that if all four were returned alive, without being harmed, "everything will go back to how it was before the kidnapping".
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Buchanan, 72, had been incarcerated since 2004 for kidnapping a convict who was harassing a corrupt prison guard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Was it kidnapping if it was an adult?
From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo
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