abduct
verb
ab·duct
| \ ab-ˈdəkt
, əb-; sense 2 also ˈab-ˌ\
, əb-; sense 2 also ˈab-ˌ\
abducted;
abducting;
abducts
Definition of abduct
1
: to seize and take away (a person) by force
The girl was abducted by kidnappers.
2
: to draw or spread away (a part of the body, such as a limb or the fingers) from a position near or parallel to the median axis of the body or from the axis of a limb
a muscle that abducts the arm
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Other Words from abduct
abductor
\ -ˈdək-tər
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of abduct in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The victim stated McNeil abducted her from the parking lot and was armed with a black handgun. — al, "Man arrested after kidnapped woman escapes by jumping out of vehicle," 29 Aug. 2019 Yosef Haim Ben David and two underage accomplices were convicted in 2016 of abducting Abu Khdeir and burning him to death. — Washington Post, "HBO drama looks at killings of teens that ignited Gaza war," 7 Aug. 2019 Smart and his family have been in the public eye since the kidnapping of his daughter, Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted from their home in Salt Lake City home at the age of 14 in 2002. — Vanna Quiroz, CBS News, "Ed Smart, Elizabeth Smart's father, reveals he is gay," 17 Aug. 2019 Another blue bracelet is for the Denise Amber Lee Foundation, created after the death of a Florida mother who was abducted from her home. — Sharon Coolidge, USA TODAY, "Cincinnati family sues city after son's 911 calls failed to save him," 13 Aug. 2019 Police are searching for a 13-year-old girl who was reportedly abducted Tuesday from Montgomery. — Julian Gill, Houston Chronicle, "Amber Alert issued for teenager abducted from Montgomery by one-legged woman," 13 Aug. 2019 In 1991, Shiite Muslim kidnappers in Lebanon released two Western captives: Edward Tracy, an American held nearly five years, and Jerome Leyraud, a Frenchman who’d been abducted by a rival group three days earlier. — BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 11 Aug. 2019 The actress stars as Mary Stauffer, who was abducted alongside her daughter in 1980 Alyson Hannigan is trading in laughs for screams in her latest project Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story — and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look! — Jodi Guglielmi, PEOPLE.com, "Alyson Hannigan Is a Mom Fighting for Her Life in Lifetime's Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story," 9 Aug. 2019 Another blue bracelet is for the Denise Amber Lee Foundation, created after the death of a Florida mother who was abducted from her home. — Sharon Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "After 911 calls fail to save 16-year-old Kyle Plush, his parents sue Cincinnati to get answers they were promised, but never got," 9 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abduct.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for abduct
abduct
verb
ab·duct
| \ ab-ˈdəkt
\
\
abducted;
abducting
Kids Definition of abduct
: to take a person away by force : kidnap
abduct
transitive verb
ab·duct
| \ ab-ˈdəkt, əb- also ˈab-ˌ\
Medical Definition of abduct
: to draw away (as a limb) from a position near or parallel to the median axis of the body
the peroneus longus extends, abducts, and everts the foot— C. R. Bardeen
also
: to move (similar parts) apart
abduct adjoining fingers
Other Words from abduct
abduction
\ ab-ˈdək-shən, əb-
\
noun
\
noun
abduct
transitive verb
ab·duct
| \ ab-ˈdəkt, əb-
\
\
Legal Definition of abduct
: to carry or lead (a person) away by threat or use of force or often by fraud
also
: to restrain or conceal (a person) for the purpose of preventing escape or rescue — see also kidnapping
Other Words from abduct
abductor
\ -ˈdək-tər
\
noun
\
noun
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