kidnap

kidnap — verb

1. to take someone by force and hold them prisoner, usually to obtain money for the

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to take someone by force and hold them prisoner, usually to obtain money for their release.

Example

A group of armed men kidnapped the mayor's daughter on her way to the office.

The police arrested three suspects who had planned to kidnap a local business owner.

pattern: plan + infinitive (plan to kidnap)

Common collocations
  • kidnap a child
  • kidnap for ransom
  • be kidnapped by a gang
  • kidnap a politician
  • plan to kidnap
Synonyms
  • abduct

    more formal and legal; does not always involve ransom (e.g. a parent abducting their own child)

  • take hostage

    implies holding people to force a specific demand, often in a robbery or siege

  • snatch

    informal; suggests a quick grab-and-run style of kidnapping, usually of a child

Antonyms
  • release

    to set a kidnapped person free

  • rescue

    to free a kidnapped person by force or police action

Grammar Patterns

kidnap + person

kidnap + person + from + place

be kidnapped by + person/group

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice (be kidnapped) especially in news reporting. The subject of the active verb is typically a person or criminal group (the kidnappers); the object is a person whose release is demanded.

Common Mistakes

The hijackers took the businessman to a secret house.
The kidnappers took the businessman to a secret house.
'hijack' means taking control of a vehicle, not taking a person.
He was kidnapped by a stranger when he was a baby.
He was taken by a stranger when he was a baby.
'kidnapped' implies demand for ransom or a purpose, but a baby taken without such demand may be described as 'abducted' or simply 'taken'.

kidnap — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Kidnap, abduct, hijack, take hostage, and snatch all involve seizing a person against their will, but differ in motive and context. Kidnap is the most common term and usually implies taking someone for ransom or to force a demand. Abduct is more formal and legal; it covers any unlawful taking — for example, a parent taking their own child without permission — and does not necessarily involve ransom. Hijack specifically means taking control of a vehicle (plane, car, ship) and the people inside it by force. Take hostage means holding people as leverage for a demand, often during a robbery or siege. Snatch is informal and suggests a quick, grab-and-run style of kidnapping, usually of a child. For example: 'The gang kidnapped the CEO and demanded five million dollars.' But: 'The father was accused of abducting his son during a custody dispute.' If someone hijacks a bus, they seize the vehicle itself, not just the passengers.

abduct ↗hijacktake hostagesnatch

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • victim of kidnap
  • charged with kidnap
  • convicted of kidnap
  • a kidnap for ransom

Prepositions

Etymology

English (compound of kid + nap)English

Kidnap was formed in the late 1600s by combining 'kid' (meaning a child) and 'nap' (an old slang word meaning to snatch or steal). The word originally described the crime of stealing children to be sent to the American colonies as servants or labourers. Over time the meaning widened to include taking any person by force, not just children.