captive audience

noun

: a person or people who are unable to leave a place and are thus forced to listen to what is being said
The passengers on the plane were a captive audience.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Brooks said the detainees have stated a plausible claim for battery in that Karas intentionally concealed the details of a treatment in order to induce a captive audience to take a particular drug for his own professional and private aims. Ron Wood, Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2023 Given the captive audience, poolside dining is often an afterthought at resorts. Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 Yellowjackets made waves when its splashy first season premiered in November of 2021, gaining a larger and larger captive audience with each episode. Hilton Dresden, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2023 Beyond addressing captive audience meetings, the legislation would set a new standard for defining independent contractors, which could affect many tech companies; require all union members to pay dues; and allow new forms of strike. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2023

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

Dictionary Entries Near captive audience

Cite this Entry

“Captive audience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captive%20audience. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

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