prisoner

noun

ˈpriz-nər How to pronounce prisoner (audio)
Definition of prisonernext
as in captive
one that has been taken and held in confinement the prisoners were fed only bread and water twice a day

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prisoner Moriarty is hiding both Sherlock and Lady Tewkesbury in a cell, and both of the prisoners are trying to figure out why she's chosen them. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 It’s loosely based on an actual Chilean colony where German expatriates tortured prisoners at the behest of General Pinochet. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 Bates held one of the Germans prisoner after the incident; the latter was released only after negotiations with a West German diplomat, a sequence of events that Bates considered further validation of Sealand’s sovereignty. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026 Last year, eight prisoners represented by her office were executed. — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for prisoner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prisoner
  1. captive
  2. capture
Noun
  • The hijackers had threatened to execute the 106 captives if their demands were not met.
    — Anne Neuberger, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
  • It is thought to be the only slave revolution in history where the former captives overthrew their rulers and went on to govern the country themselves.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 12 June 2026
Definition of captive
Noun
  • To make the digital instruction feel authentic, Huang used motion-capture technology to record the movements of real-life dance teachers — with their permission.
    — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 11 July 2026
  • Those phones can’t be used to browse the internet, access social media or contact friends and family, serving primarily to receive production texts and capture photos instead.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
Definition of capture

Browse Nearby Words

prison camps
prisoner
prisoners
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Cite this Entry

“Prisoner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prisoner. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prisoner

Nglish: Translation of prisoner for Spanish Speakers

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