# kidnap

/ˈkɪdˌnæp/ (US) · /kˈɪdnæp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kidnap
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to take by force

verb · CEFR B2

to take someone away illegally by force, often to demand money for their return.

For teachers: to seize and detain a person unlawfully, often involving transportation to a secret location for the purpose of demanding a ransom.

- The gang planned to kidnap the businessman and demand a million dollars.
- The militants attempted to kidnap the diplomat during his morning commute, but the security detail managed to repel the attack.

## 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.