ransom 1 of 2

as in to save
to free from captivity or punishment by paying a price the prince emptied the treasury to ransom his son from the kidnappers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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ransom

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb ransom contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ransom are deliver, reclaim, redeem, rescue, and save. While all these words mean "to set free from confinement or danger," ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

When is deliver a more appropriate choice than ransom?

The words deliver and ransom are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

In what contexts can reclaim take the place of ransom?

The meanings of reclaim and ransom largely overlap; however, reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

When is it sensible to use redeem instead of ransom?

The synonyms redeem and ransom are sometimes interchangeable, but redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

When might rescue be a better fit than ransom?

In some situations, the words rescue and ransom are roughly equivalent. However, rescue implies freeing from imminent danger by prompt or vigorous action.

rescued the crew of a sinking ship

Where would save be a reasonable alternative to ransom?

The words save and ransom can be used in similar contexts, but 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

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 ransom
Verb
In order to maintain their loyalty and increase their areas of control, the family allegedly began kidnapping people to obtain ransom money. Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025 Russian hackers crippled the Colonial Gas Pipeline for five days in 2021, causing shortages at 16,200 gas stations along the East Coast and widespread consumer anxiety before the company paid a $5 million ransom to regain access to its computers. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
Such data, depending on the sensitivity, can be held to ransom against a threat of publication to a leak site or sale to the highest criminal bidder. Davey Winder, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 They were taken by speedboats to the jungles of the southern Philippine province of Sulu, where they were held in harsh conditions before being mostly ransomed off using millions of dollars reportedly provided by then-Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi. Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ransom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransom
Verb
  • Truly, the gadget is that girl — capable of smoothing, de-frizzing, and adding effortless bounce to your locks while granting damage-free curls thanks to Shark’s Coanda technology (which automatically wraps strands around the barrel, saving you the time and hassle of DIYing it).
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Then in the classroom, OP's son had saved Ella a spot next to him.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Firefighter Caleb Halvorson, 26, was brought home Monday by his crew and will continue his long recovery and rehabilitation at home, the Fort Worth Fire Department said in a statement.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025
  • As far as recovery matches go, a clash with eight-time winners OL wouldn’t be the preferred choice.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Season 3 picks up with the Monster Association arc, as S-class heroes band together to rescue a hostage taken by monsters claiming affiliation with the villainous organization.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
  • According to motorists who helped firefighters rescue the passengers of the Airbus E130 helicopter on the eastbound lanes of Highway 50, Smith had been pinned beneath the helicopter and was not responsive when she was taken to UCDMC.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • During times of stress, sudden retail redemptions could force asset sales at discounts, triggering liquidity crunches and pricing shocks in what have generally been stable markets.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Wenceel Pérez becomes an unlikely October redemption story Wenceel Pérez entered this game with only five hits in his past 56 at-bats.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Redeeming Atmos points The most valuable way to redeem Atmos points is to book award flights with Alaska and its partners.
    David McMillin, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Win your first $10 bet when using the BetMGM bonus code WEEK150 in NJ, PA, MI and WV to redeem a $150 bonus.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Though the song order is Easter egg intentional – as with everything Swift – it’s bookended by a declaration of romantic salvation and a narrative from the perspective of a weary, yet defiant showgirl.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Against the backdrop of New York’s Hudson Valley, the film explores faith, madness, autonomy, and the fragile boundary between salvation and delusion.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • When his many debts and checkered past start to catch up with him, Doyle encounters a kindred spirit who may hold the key to his deliverance.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Fame is perhaps this tower, an ultimate entrapment in the self that is also a deliverance from it.
    Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ransom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransom. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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