Word
kidnap
Phoneticskid·nap, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɪdˌnæp/
UK/kˈɪdnæp/
Definition
v. to take someone away illegally by force, often to demand money for their return.
v. to seize and detain a person unlawfully, often involving transportation to a secret location for the purpose of demanding a ransom.
Examples
“The criminals planned to kidnap the wealthy businessman.”
“The gang attempted to kidnap the diplomat as he was leaving his home for the embassy.”
“Historical accounts suggest that the pirates would kidnap sailors from merchant vessels to bolster their own crew numbers or to sell them into forced labour at distant ports.”
Examples
simple
“The criminals planned to kidnap the wealthy businessman.”
contextual
“The gang attempted to kidnap the diplomat as he was leaving his home for the embassy.”
complex
“Historical accounts suggest that the pirates would kidnap sailors from merchant vessels to bolster their own crew numbers or to sell them into forced labour at distant ports.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “kidnap” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to kidnap
“The bodyguards managed to thwart a desperate attempt to kidnap the heiress outside her home.”
verb + infinitive
02. kidnap for ransom
“The journalist was kidnapped for ransom while reporting from the conflict zone.”
verb + prep + noun
03. plot to kidnap
“The intelligence agency uncovered a secret cell that was plotting to kidnap the ambassador.”
verb + infinitive
Noun
04. conspiracy to kidnap
“Three men were charged with conspiracy to kidnap a high-ranking government official.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
05. allegedly kidnap
“The suspect allegedly kidnapped the child after gaining the family's trust over several months.”
adv + verb
06. boldly kidnap
“The rebels boldly kidnapped the governor in broad daylight from a crowded marketplace.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In British English, the final 'p' is doubled in inflected forms (kidnapped, kidnapping), whereas American English often uses a single 'p'.
Pitfall
They kidnap him for three days.
They kidnapped him for three days.
Learners often forget to double the final 'p' when adding -ed or -ing in British English, or they use the present tense for completed historical events.
Real-World Examples
“Deren Akyeam-Pong admitted last year that he was hired to kidnap Pleterski in Toronto at gunpoint on Dec.” “Mo-cap Mark Rylance, whose cutesy ungrammatical babbling should have been left on the printed page, is the 24ft Big Friendly Giant who kidnaps an orphan girl, Sophie.” Etymology
From kid + nap (“to nab; to grab”). Originally Thieves' cant, referring to the practice of stealing children and shipping them to colonies or plantations as laborers. First attested c. 1680.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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