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captor

noun

cap·​tor ˈkap-tər How to pronounce captor (audio)
-ˌtȯr
Synonyms of captornext
: one that has captured a person or thing

Examples of captor in a Sentence

The men fought their captors and escaped.
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.
This sequel to a 2022 indie darling casts you as a Sleeper, a robot worker fleeing their gang-boss captor. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025 Fifty of the more than 300 children snatched by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria have escaped their captors, a Christian group said in a statement on November 23. CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025 Barron said the 50 children escaped their captors by jumping over a wall and running into the bush. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025 Brooks, 16, and Marris, 17, were both high school students when the two were abducted, eventually banding together to escape their captor. Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for captor

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Latin capere

First Known Use

circa 1688, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of captor was circa 1688

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Captor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captor. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

captor

noun
cap·​tor ˈkap-tər How to pronounce captor (audio)
-ˌtȯ(ə)r
: one that has captured a person or thing

More from Merriam-Webster on captor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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