Word
kidnapper
Phoneticskid·nap·per
US/ˈkɪdˌnæpɝ/
UK/kˈɪdnæpɐ/
Definition
n. a person who takes someone away by force and keeps them as a prisoner. This is usually done to ask for money or to get something else.
n. a person who illegally takes another person away by force and holds them as a prisoner. Often used in the context of criminal extortion or political hostage situations.
Examples
“The kidnapper called the family to ask for money.”
“Police are searching the woods for the kidnapper who took the child from the park yesterday.”
“The documentary explores the psychological profile of the kidnapper, revealing how he manipulated his victim's family through a series of calculated demands.”
Examples
simple
“The kidnapper called the family to ask for money.”
contextual
“Police are searching the woods for the kidnapper who took the child from the park yesterday.”
complex
“The documentary explores the psychological profile of the kidnapper, revealing how he manipulated his victim's family through a series of calculated demands.”
Real-World Examples
“On Sunday, kidnappers released a video of what appears to be a large group of people being held captive by armed men in a forested area.” “Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered a manhunt for armed kidnappers who launched deadly attacks on four villages in a remote part of Niger state last Friday.” Etymology
From kidnap + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.