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
Jordan shot Marter in the back of the head before her banker husband paid a $25,000 ransom for her return on Jan. 12, 1976. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 26 June 2025 Criminals believe that retailers are big, rich targets that move slowly to respond to threats and are likely to comply with ransom demands rather than suffer business disruption. Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Noun
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 Nestor explains that the employee sold him out to some Haitians, who stole his product and now want to ransom it back to him. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for ransom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ransom
Verb
  • According to The Vail Daily, volunteer rescuers across Colorado responded to at least four missions during June to save dogs.
    Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 1 July 2025
  • While gymnasts are flying inside a venue during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Archer Aviation electric air taxis will be flitting through the air above the area saving athletes, VIPs, guests and myriad others from performing brutal traffic acrobatics to get from place-to-place.
    Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The industry has only been looking at its first chance for a strong, sustained recovery starting in the first half of this year.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 1 July 2025
  • Car manufacturing may be resource-heavy but electric vehicles could help end our dependance on fossil fuels, making the factories a symbol of environmental recovery, not damage.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Thanks to the response from the ship’s crew, both were rescued within minutes.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
  • An officer said the man was dehydrated, confused and scared when he was rescued, according to WBZ.
    Jillian Frankel, People.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Two giants will collide when Inter Milan continues its quest for Club World Cup redemption, facing off against Fluminense in the Last 16 on Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • Or, Schlichter posits, such funds could choose to keep some cash on hand for redemptions, instead of investing it, which could dampen returns.
    Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • This promo from Caesars Sportsbook is easy to redeem.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • And once a company goes public, users can redeem their tokens for the market equivalent in a stablecoin.
    Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Teaming up with Rebels like the enigmatic Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the sarcastic droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), Jyn’s quest for salvation and redemption runs right up to the beginning of the original film, Star Wars: A New Hope.
    Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 26 June 2025
  • Netflix’s Devil May Cry follows Dante (Johnny Yong Bosch), a young demon hunter who turns out to be the world’s best hope for salvation when a mysterious villain threatens to open the gates of Hell.
    Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Wine • Four glasses of wine are poured to represent the four stages of the Exodus: freedom, deliverance, redemption and release.
    Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2025
  • His corpse is down the street from a brothel, and below a billboard advertisement for a priest who promises miracles and deliverance.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ransom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ransom. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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