captivity

noun

cap·​tiv·​i·​ty kap-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce captivity (audio)
1
: the state of being captive
some birds thrive in captivity
2
obsolete : a group of captives

Examples of captivity in a Sentence

The prisoners were released from captivity. the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The whole place is powered by the magic tears of Muggle-Wumps, apelike creatures whom the Twits keep in captivity and force to stand on their heads for hours on end (there are other fun critters too, such as Alan Tudyk’s backward-talking Sweet-Toed Toad). Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025 However, there is growing Israeli anger over the fate of the hostages who did not survive captivity and delays in the return of their remains. Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival alongside his partner, Noa Argamani, was reportedly starved during his captivity and lost 30-40% of his body weight, according to Israel's Channel 12. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025 An informal education professional, Eitan spent part of his captivity with Yair, and the brothers reportedly fled through tunnels during Israeli airstrikes. Itay Stern, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for captivity

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of captivity was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivity. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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