hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhä-stij How to pronounce hostage (audio)
1
a
: a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement
b
: a person taken by force to secure the taker's demands
2
: one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence

Examples of hostage in a Sentence

The terrorists demanded a plane and a pilot in exchange for the hostages. The hostage crisis is now entering its second week. The passengers were taken hostage. They were held hostage for several days.
Recent Examples on the Web Hamas has issued a new cease-fire proposal amid its war with Israel that includes an exchange of hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners, according to a report. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 The war and the continuation of the war is the responsibility of Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization, which continues to hold and abuse the hostages, and which doesn’t use its tunnels to protect the innocent civilians of Gaza, but uses it to hide themselves and allow Palestinians to die. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 They’re allowed brief, weekly calls with their families, although the identities of the hostages have been kept from the public. Scott McLean, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 In this book, a mother’s grief and loss becomes a catalyst for helping U.S. hostages and their families. Jasper Davidoff, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 Later that year, she was plagued on the air by her interruptive cell phone, and revealed months after that her apartment building's elevator once tried to hold her hostage. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Israel has said more than 130 remain hostage in Gaza. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2024 Israel launched its airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza after Hamas militants attacked on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostages. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 There is increasing criticism over the hundreds of thousands struggling to survive in northern Gaza, which has borne the brunt of the conflict that began when the Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing around 250 hostages. Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 3 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hostage, ostage, borrowed from Anglo-French, "lodging, residence, custody of a person held as security against fulfillment of an agreement, the person so held," from hoste "guest, host" + -age -age — more at host entry 1

Note: The peculiar sense shift apparently arose from the Old French use of hostage in verbal phrases such as prendre en hostage "to take in residence, lodge" in reference to the lodging of a person held as surety; the import of hostage was then transferred to the status of such a person, and finally to the actual person.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hostage was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near hostage

Cite this Entry

“Hostage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hostage. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hostage

noun
hos·​tage ˈhäs-tij How to pronounce hostage (audio)
: a person held captive as a pledge that promises will be kept or terms met by another

More from Merriam-Webster on hostage

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