captivity
noun
cap·tiv·i·ty
kap-ˈti-və-tē 
Examples of captivity in a Sentence
The prisoners were released from captivity.
the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild
Recent Examples on the Web
In the game, players take on the role of a plane-hopping traveler who has escaped captivity, embarking on an all-new adventure.
—
David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Yermak said Mykolayenko spent more than three years in Russian captivity, having refused to be exchanged in 2022, insisting that a critically ill fellow prisoner be released first.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
This frog, Ctenophryne aterrima, was first spotted in 1987 and lived in captivity for nearly 37 years.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
In zoos, the architecture of captivity arguably finds its most devious achievement, because the designers want to hide the cages and accommodate masses of spectators.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivity
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David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Yermak said Mykolayenko spent more than three years in Russian captivity, having refused to be exchanged in 2022, insisting that a critically ill fellow prisoner be released first.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
This frog, Ctenophryne aterrima, was first spotted in 1987 and lived in captivity for nearly 37 years.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
In zoos, the architecture of captivity arguably finds its most devious achievement, because the designers want to hide the cages and accommodate masses of spectators.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivity. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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