kidnap
verb
kid·nap
| \ ˈkid-ˌnap
\
\
kidnapped
also kidnaped\ ˈkid-ˌnapt
\;
kidnapping
also kidnaping
\;
kidnapping
also kidnaping
Definition of kidnap
: to seize and detain or carry away by unlawful force or fraud and often with a demand for ransom
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Other Words from kidnap
kidnappee
or kidnapee \ ˌkid-ˌna-ˈpē
\
noun
\
noun
kidnapper
or less commonly kidnaper
noun
Examples of kidnap in a Sentence
the child of the wealthy industrialist was kidnapped and held for ransom
Recent Examples on the Web
Again and again stories tell of fair maidens either kidnapped by bears, or else following one by personal volition. — David James, Anchorage Daily News, "New book explores mankind’s fascination with bears, from Stone Age to 'Winnie the Pooh’," 31 Aug. 2019 Another bloody round of fighting took place two years later after extremists kidnapped and killed a pro-Palestinian Italian activist in Gaza. — Fox News, "Three Hamas policemen killed in rare attacks with Gaza in 'state of alert'," 28 Aug. 2019 Police said robbery detectives determined that the suspects stole the car and kidnapped the victim at Barbur Transit Center in Southwest Portland. — oregonlive.com, "Police search for suspects in Mt. Tabor carjacking and shooting," 28 Aug. 2019 The theoretical dangers are enormous, with bad actors potentially capable of kidnapping passengers or making cars collide. — Hanna Kozlowska, Quartzy, "A new thriller novel offers up twisted scenarios of the tech revolution gone wrong," 28 Aug. 2019 Last September, Jabari Bird was preparing for the start of Boston Celtics training camp when he was accused of choking, kidnapping and assaulting a woman. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Assessing the Details of DeMarcus Cousins Allegedly Threatening Ex-Girlfriend," 27 Aug. 2019 Four hundred years ago the first slave ship docked on North American shores, launching a chapter of the trans-Atlantic trade that saw more than 12.5 million people kidnapped from Africa and sold at ports throughout the Americas. — Nina Strochlic, National Geographic, "How slavery flourished in the United States," 23 Aug. 2019 The jihadist group prefers kidnapping children to vaccinating them. — The Economist, "Africa is on the verge of being declared polio-free," 22 Aug. 2019 Portgual's Goncalo Waddington debuts his first feature, Patrick, about a young man who turns up in a Parisian prison 12 years after being kidnapped as a child. — Jennifer Green, The Hollywood Reporter, "San Sebastian Festival Adds Six Films to Competition," 22 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kidnap.' 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 kidnap
kidnap
verb
English Language Learners Definition of kidnap
: to take away (someone) by force usually in order to keep the person as a prisoner and demand money for returning the person
See the full definition for kidnap in the English Language Learners Dictionary
kidnap
verb
kid·nap
| \ ˈkid-ˌnap
\
\
kidnapped\ -ËŒnapt \;
kidnapping
Kids Definition of kidnap
: to carry away a person by force or by fraud and against his or her will
kidnap
transitive verb
kid·nap
| \ ˈkid-ˌnap
\
\
kidnapped
or kidnaped\ -ËŒnapt
\;
kidnapping
or kidnaping\ -ˌna-piŋ \
\;
kidnapping
or kidnaping\ -ˌna-piŋ \
Legal Definition of kidnap
: to seize and confine or carry away by force or fraud and often with a demand for ransom
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