Meaning & use
kidnap
Last updated
To take someone away illegally by force, especially to hold them for ransom or another unlawful purpose.
See it in a sentence
Police arrested the men who tried to kidnap the businessman's daughter.
The plot centers on an attempt to kidnap a foreign diplomat.
A note on using this word
Distinct from a lawful 'arrest'; kidnapping always involves unlawful, forcible confinement of a person.
Words with a similar meaning
abductseize
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kidnap”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.