1. the act of seizing a person by force and keeping them in a hidden location, typi
1.nounB1
Definition
the act of seizing a person by force and keeping them in a hidden location, typically in order to demand money from their relatives or employer before setting them free
Example
Police arrested three men in connection with the kidnapping of Beatriz, a local restaurant owner.
collocation: kidnapping of [person]
The kidnapping of eight-year-old Emre shocked the neighbourhood, and hundreds of volunteers joined the search.
noun used as countable event
Amira was taken from her home at gunpoint and her family received a ransom demand.
International law condemns kidnapping for political purposes, and some regions treat it as a war crime.
uncountable: talking about the crime in general
The kidnapping of Omar, a local banker, led to a city-wide search by police.
uncountable noun as subject + of + person
Common collocations
kidnapping of (a child / a businesswoman / a diplomat)
kidnapping for (ransom / political gain / revenge)
more formal and broader; can refer to taking any person (including adults) by deception or force, not always for ransom. In legal language, 'abduction' often covers parental child-taking.
Kidnapping, abduction, hostage-taking, and hijacking all involve taking control of a person against their will, but they differ in scope and context. Kidnapping is the most common everyday term for secretly capturing someone and demanding payment for their return. Abduction is a broader, more formal term used in law and journalism; it covers any forceful or deceptive taking of a person, including by a parent taking their own child. Hostage-taking specifically implies holding someone captive while making demands — often political — and threatening harm if the demands are not met. Hijacking is narrower still: it refers to taking control of a vehicle (especially an aircraft) by force, with the passengers and crew held as leverage. For example, a newspaper headline might read 'Kidnapping of local doctor ends with ransom payment,' while a military report would say 'The rebels engaged in hostage-taking during the siege.'
Formed in the late 1600s from 'kid' (child) and 'nap' (to snatch or seize — a variant of 'nab'). The word originally referred specifically to stealing children to sell as servants or labourers in the American colonies. Over time, its meaning expanded to cover the forcible taking of any person for any purpose, especially for ransom.