Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

kidnap

/ˈkɪdnæp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.48 in modern English

Syllables
kid-nap
IPA
/ˈkɪdnæp/
13
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To seize or detain a person unlawfully and move or conceal them; sometimes for ransom.

Transitive verb

noun

The crime, or an instance, of kidnapping.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

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.

Usage

Inflected Forms

kidnaps (present, singular) kidnapping (participle, present) kidnaping (US, participle) kidnapped (participle, past) kidnapped (past) kidnaped (US, participle) kidnaped (US, past) kidnaps (plural)

Derived Forms

antikidnap dognap dognapper dognapping kidnappable rekidnap unkidnap

Phrases

kidnapped robot problem tiger kidnap

Frequently Paired Words

kidnapper kidnaper kidnappee kidnapee

Synonyms

informal snatch nobble abduct

Questions

How do you pronounce kidnap?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɪdnæp/.
What does kidnap mean?
To seize or detain a person unlawfully and move or conceal them; sometimes for ransom.
Where does kidnap come from?
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.

How to pronounce kidnap

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “kidnap”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkɪdnæp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “kidnap”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “kidnap” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.