prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

ˈpri-zᵊn-ər

1

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one on trial or in prison

2

: someone restrained as if in prison

a prisoner of her own conscience

see also take-no-prisoners, take no prisoners

Synonyms

• captive
• capture

Examples of prisoner in a Sentence

He was captured by rebel forces and kept as their prisoner for several months before they set him free.

The families were held prisoner for four days.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their jailers offer the prisoners a deal: Option 1: If neither prisoner informs on the other, both will receive relatively light sentences. —Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025

The Florida court contrived a weird and arbitrary compromise, granting new sentencing hearings only to death row prisoners whose sentences were considered final after 2002, when the U.S. court issued a decision that was a precursor to Hurst’s. —Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 July 2025

Investigators overheard a male inmate talking with a female prisoner about Kohberger during jail transport. —Michael Ruiz , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 July 2025

Board member Lee Watson said a 1,000-bed facility in western or northwestern Arkansas would meet the state's needs and give sheriffs in the area an intake facility that will help reduce expenses in transporting prisoners. —Arkansas Online, 24 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing prisoner

• co-prisoner
• political prisoner
• prisoner of conscience
• prisoner of war
• prisoner's base
• take (someone) prisoner

Kids Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

: a person who has been captured or locked up

Legal Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one under arrest, awaiting trial, on trial, or serving a prison sentence