kidnapper

kidnapper — noun

1. a person who illegally seizes someone by force, keeps them confined against thei

1.nounB2
Definition

a person who illegally seizes someone by force, keeps them confined against their will, and often demands money from relatives or employers before releasing the victim

Example

The kidnapper left a note on the kitchen table demanding two hundred thousand dollars.

pattern: the kidnapper + demanded + [amount]

Aiko's mother received a phone call from the kidnapper demanding payment by midnight.

Common collocations
  • armed kidnapper
  • suspected kidnapper
  • catch a kidnapper
  • track down a kidnapper
  • kidnapper demands ransom
Synonyms
  • abductor

    more neutral and formal; does not always imply a ransom demand

  • captor

    broader — refers to anyone holding another person against their will, not necessarily for money

  • ransomer

    very rare; focuses specifically on the demand for payment

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the kidnapper + verb (demanded / called / escaped)

adjective + kidnapper (armed / suspected)

Usage Note

The word 'kidnapper' is used in news reports and legal contexts. In everyday conversation, people often say 'the person who took him/her' rather than 'kidnapper'. The verb form 'kidnap' is much more common than the noun 'kidnapper'.

Common Mistakes

The robber kidnapped the child and asked for money.
The kidnapper kidnapped the child and asked for money.
A 'robber' steals property; a 'kidnapper' steals a person. The crime is kidnapping, not robbery.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe someone who takes control of another person by force, but the setting and purpose differ. A 'kidnapper' seizes a person and holds them for ransom, political leverage, or other demands — the key is the intent to negotiate for something in return. An 'abductor' simply takes someone away, which may or may not involve a demand (parental abduction, for example, usually does not). A 'captor' is the most general term — anyone who holds a person against their will, from a prison guard in wartime to a hostage-taker. A 'hijacker' specifically takes control of a vehicle (plane, ship, bus) and its passengers, not just an individual. In news reports, 'kidnapper' is the most common term when money is demanded. For example: 'The kidnapper released the child after the family paid the ransom.' 'The abductor was found driving across the state line with the boy.' 'The captors allowed the Red Cross to visit the prisoners.' 'The hijacker forced the pilot to fly to a different city.'

kidnapper ↗abductorcaptorhijacker

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • kidnapper demands
  • catch a kidnapper
  • suspected kidnapper
  • armed kidnapper

Etymology

English

The word 'kidnapper' comes from 'kidnap' (17th-century slang for stealing children to sell as servants in the American colonies) plus the agent suffix '-er' (someone who does something). 'Kidnap' itself is a compound of 'kid' (child) and 'nap' (to snatch or steal, from an old thieves' slang word). The meaning later broadened to include any person taken by force, not just children.