ransom

1 of 2

noun

ran·​som ˈran(t)-səm How to pronounce ransom (audio)
1
: a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity
2
: the act of ransoming

ransom

2 of 2

verb

ransomed; ransoming; ransoms

transitive verb

1
: to deliver especially from sin or its penalty
2
: to free from captivity or punishment by paying a price
ransomer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for ransom

rescue, deliver, redeem, ransom, reclaim, save mean to set free from confinement or danger.

rescue implies freeing from imminent danger by prompt or vigorous action.

rescued the crew of a sinking ship

deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

save may replace any of the foregoing terms; it may further imply a preserving or maintaining for usefulness or continued existence.

an operation that saved my life

Examples of ransom in a Sentence

Noun The kidnappers demanded a ransom of one million dollars. The family is willing to pay ransom for his release. The ransom note explained the terms under which she would be released. Verb He was held captive for a week before he was ransomed and returned to his family. the prince emptied the treasury to ransom his son from the kidnappers
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Gangs continue to hijack public transportation vehicles, loot and steal from businesses, torch private homes and kidnap unsuspecting Haitians for ransom and torture them in order to force payments. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 The Department of Justice alleged in December, before the Change hack, that the group's victims had already paid it hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms. Darius Tahir, CBS News, 29 Feb. 2024 In Iraq, the sport has exploded in popularity in recent years — as has kidnapping prize birds for ransom. Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Bad actors may break in, encrypt files, and demand ransom. Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2024 Fulton County officials have denied paying a ransom—which leaves unanswered why the leak disappeared, and whether LockBit still holds any of the court's documents or ever did in the first place. Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024 Our global cyber resilience survey found that nine in 10 organizations that were victims of ransomware attacks in the past two years had paid a ransom, and two-thirds were willing to pay more than $3 million to recover data and restore business processes. Brian Spanswick, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 But guards would only release people for another $330 ransom, which his family eventually paid again. Hafiz Haroun, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Or Poles could trade the top pick for a king’s ransom to a quarterback-needy team — there are plenty of those in the NFL. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024
Verb
This was frightening news, but Olena had heard that the Russians sometimes ransomed detainees for cash. Sabra Ayres, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Some of the victims said they have been enslaved and sold to work on the farms of RSF commanders, and others recounted being held while their families were forced to ransom them. Hafiz Haroun, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 He is nonetheless drawn in, to his surprise and discomfort, by Benzion’s provocation that American Jews have ransomed themselves for the fantasy of belonging. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024 They’re known to raid crops, break into homes and stores, and snatch things like cell phones to cleverly ransom back for food. Erika Fry, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2024 Becciu was found guilty of further, unrelated misconduct including embezzlement through a Sardinian Catholic charity run by his brother and misuse of funds allotted to ransom a kidnapped nun. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 16 Dec. 2023 The family is buried together at Graceland Elvis was interred at a Memphis cemetery near Gladys — but after criminals attempted to steal his remains and ransom them, Vernon eventually had the two brought back to Graceland and buried in the Meditation Garden Elvis built on the property in 1964. Julie Tremaine, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2023 The priest offers to ransom her with a priceless treasure, which Agamemnon spurns rudely, and Apollo punishes this sacrilege with a plague. Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023 After a shady investor steals their new invention, Nick, Dale and Kurt conspire to kidnap the man’s adult son and ransom him to pay off their debts. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ransom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ransoun, from Anglo-French rançun, from Latin redemption-, redemptio — more at redemption

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ransom was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near ransom

Cite this Entry

“Ransom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ransom. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ransom

1 of 2 noun
ran·​som ˈran(t)-səm How to pronounce ransom (audio)
1
: something paid or demanded for the freedom of a captured person
2
: the act of ransoming

ransom

2 of 2 verb
: to free from captivity or punishment by paying a price
ransomer noun

Legal Definition

ransom

1 of 2 noun
ran·​som
: a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity see also kidnapping

ransom

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to free from captivity by paying a price

Biographical Definition

Ransom

biographical name

Ran·​som ˈran(t)-səm How to pronounce Ransom (audio)
John Crowe 1888–1974 American educator and poet

More from Merriam-Webster on ransom

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